Solar and wind rising to the challenge
Renewable energy think tank Beyond Zero Emissions have demonstrated the opportunity for Port Augusta to become a renewable energy power hub.
Repowering Port Augusta is a strategic plan to replace the emissions intensive Northern and Playford B brown coal power plants at Port Augusta with renewable energy. This proposal would help Australia to take advantage of our natural competitive advantage of abundant solar energy. It would enable South Australia to become a world leader in renewable energy, and Port Augusta would become an iconic global hub for baseload solar power generation.
Six solar thermal power towers and ninety wind turbines would replace these power plants and provide secure, affordable electricity to South Australia and the Eastern Australian grid. The development would more than secure the existing 250 jobs at local power stations, as well creating 1,300 construction jobs and 225 manufacturing jobs for South Australia.
The 760 megawatts currently supplied by Playford B and Northern can be replaced by 6 concentrated solar thermal plants and 95 wind turbines.
|
Current-Coal
|
Gas
|
Solar/Wind
|
Permanent jobs
|
250
|
76
|
360
|
Construction jobs | 0 | 380 (over 2 years) | 1300 (over 6 years) |
Manufacturing jobs | 0 | 0 |
225 |
Upstream jobs |
200 (Leigh Creek coal mine) | 10-50 | 0 |
Health Issues?
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Emissions
|
5,000,000 tonnes/yr
|
2,000,000 tonnes/yr
|
Close to zero
|
Electricity Price Rise
|
Fluctuates with international rates
|
Fluctuations with international rates
|
~1c per kWh
|
International Reliance
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Life of Power Plant
|
50 years
|
50 years
|
50 years
|
Risk of Plant Explosion?
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Generates How much electricity?
|
4,650 GWh
|
4,650 GWh
|
4,650 GWh
|
Contaminates Water?
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
To access the full report click here
To read our Policy Proposal click here
To read our Briefing Paper click here