Green light for largest solar thermal project in South Australia

  The South Australian Government has given the green light to build what is claimed will be the world’s largest solar thermal project. The 150MW Aurora Solar Energy Project, which […]

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The South Australian Government has given the green light to build what is claimed will be the world’s largest solar thermal project.

The 150MW Aurora Solar Energy Project, which will be built near the town of Port Augusta, will include energy storage technology with 1,100MWh of capacity.

It has been contracted to supply all of the state government’s power needs.

Work on the $650 million (£507.5m) SolarReserve facility will start in 2018 and is expected to create 650 construction jobs and 50 ongoing positions.

A solar thermal plant works by reflecting the sun’s light and focusing it using thousands of mirrors. They act like a giant magnifying glass, heat a central boiler, with the water creating steam and driving a convention turbine.

South Australia’s Premier Jay Weatherill said: “The Port Augusta story is a stark example of the transition of the South Australian economy, with the closure of a dirty coal-fired power station and now the commissioning of this world leading renewable energy project.”

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