Australia’s giant, 250 megawatt, $1.5 billion Solar Dawn solar thermal power plant, planned for development in south-west Queensland, has been cancelled.
The Solar Dawn Consortium, led by Areva Solar, has said that it will remain committed to the large-scale concentrated solar power industry, but that this particular project will not go ahead.
Back in July the project was dealt a massive blow when the Queensland government pulled its $78 million funding from the project, but the plug has just been pulled after the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced that it was no longer willing to fund the project.
“After exploring several options to address current market conditions, ARENA is no longer pursuing development, although it remains committed to Australia’s large-scale concentrated solar power industry.”
Australia’s Clean Energy Council (ACEC) has criticised ARENA’s decision to pull out of the Solar Dawn project, because it leaves the country without a large scale solar thermal project. Russell Marsh, the policy director at the ACEC said that; “our challenge to ARENA would be for them to outline quite quickly what their plans are to have a program that is looking to support those kinds of technologies going forward.”
This post was originally published at Oil Price.com and is reproduced here with permission.
2 Responses to “Australia Cancels Giant $1.5 Billion Solar Dawn Project”
Nevill • November 17th, 2012 at 10:09 pm
The current Queensland government is likely to have pulled funding due to poor economic management by the previous administration. ARENA possibily due to the loss of that funding and the unwillness to go it alone. This is going to be the continuing case with solar due to the lack of strong leadership & committment. What is needed is a business champion, it is sad that Australia lacks these at this time.
Gemma • November 20th, 2012 at 12:11 am
too true
