Solar Flagships Program
The Commonwealth Government has announced the Solar Dawn project as the preferred solar thermal power project from Round One of the Commonwealth's $1.5 billion Solar Flagships Program. The proposed project location is near the existing Kogan Creek power station south east of Chinchilla.
- View Media Release
- Visit the Solar Dawn website
What is the Solar Flagships Program?
The Solar Flagships Program is a $1.5 billion Commonwealth Government program that has been established to support the construction of up to four large-scale solar power plants in Australia.
The Queensland Government has committed funding of up to $75 million to support the cost of developing the successful Round One project in Queensland.
What is the aim of the Solar Flagships Program?
The aim of the Program is to establish 1000 megawatts (MW) of large-scale, grid connected solar power plants in Australia. These plants will present a major stepping stone in providing solar generated power to Australian households and industry through the national electricity grid.
Round One of the program will support one solar thermal project and one photovoltaic project for funding, with a target of up to 400MW of combined generation capacity across the two projects. These projects are expected to be operational by December 2015.
Out of 52 applications received by the Commonwealth Government, 21 were Queensland-based or had a Queensland site as part of a multi-state bid. The Australian Government announced a shortlist of eight projects. Five of these projects were based in Queensland. This demonstrates the quality of the solar resource that is available in Queensland and the potential for developing large scale solar projects in Queensland.
How does a solar thermal power plant work?
Large-scale solar thermal technology uses Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector (CLFR) technology to concentrate the sun's energy to create steam which drives a conventional steam turbine generator to produce electricity.
Why is Solar Flagships important for Queensland?
The Commonwealth Government's decision to support the Solar Dawn solar thermal project in Queensland will substantially help Queensland build a virtual solar power station and will complement the existing solar programs currently underway in Queensland.
Queensland solar projects on the drawing board are capable of powering over 50,000 homes.
This commitment to large-scale solar projects not only means a commitment to cleaner, greener energy generation; but will also support the growth of Australia's solar energy research and development capacity.
The Program will also encourage continued investment in solar research infrastructure and allow for further development and innovation of solar power generation in Australia. This will help position Australia at the forefront of the global development of solar power technology.
The Solar Dawn project, when completed, has the potential to be a global reference plant for linear fresnel technology. The project will contribute to meeting Queensland's growing energy demand and diversify Queensland's power generation base with the introduction of large-scale renewable energy generation.
The project will also showcase the benefits of choosing Queensland as a location for developing large-scale solar power projects, including:
- access to a quality solar resource, which in many locations is comparable to the best in the world
- access to land areas suitable for large scale solar projects
- developed, stable energy markets and transmission infrastructure
- access to skilled technical and research expertise.
Do the bright thing - help build Queensland a virtual solar power station.
Town by town, we're working to build a virtual solar power station for Queensland. Already, we've doubled Queensland's use of solar energy in less than two years, more than three years ahead of schedule.
You can contribute to the virtual power station too by doing the bright thing and installing a solar hot water system or solar power system on your home.
Want to find out more?
For further information on the Solar Flagship Program visit the Australian Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism website.
Find out how to get solar panels installed on your home.
Last updated 20 July 2011
Other languages