Australian Solar Power Projects
- A Green Future?

Australian Solar: The Australian left wing Rudd Government has unveiled its new green energy strategy with a plan to produce more than 1000 MW of electricity from solar power over the next few years. The government has committed just over $1 billion AU (about $750 million US) to the project, claiming that this will result in the "largest solar power station in the world".

Secondly, there are many solar thermal power stations already in operation that easily top the production of these smaller, broken up unit. The SEGS power group in south west United States is one such example.

Finally, when it comes to boasting about large contracts that have been signed for future energy production surely the California based BrightSource Energy has to take the cake. With over 2500 MW of planned projects in the pipeline, BrightSource's projects throw the claims by the Australian government into sharp relief.

Personally I support the Rudd government because as an Australian citizen I know that they are a heck of a lot better than the previous right wing government when it comes to social issues. However on the power generation front they leave a lot to be desired and this latest pronouncement is no exception.

It is commendable to spend so much on solar power, to be sure. But bear in mind that this is roughly one quarter of the money that has been allocated to energy production development in this budget. A great deal more money has been committed to development of the farcical concept of clean coal, thereby simply passing the problem of unsound energy production to the next generation.

Australia needs to wake up to the spin of politicians that are all too eager to please the mining giants while providing a flimsy green-wash to the voters. The rest of the world would also do well to take note of this.

25 May 2009

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