Victoria leading in Solar Energy Technologies
Download the PDF version of this document: ETIS Solar Energy
Victoria is set to become Australia’s solar state through a plan to increase to 25% the State’s electricity provided by renewable energy by 2020.
Within this, there is a target of 5% for contribution from solar electricity. This equates to around 500 GWh by 2014 and 2,500 GWh by 2020.
The Victorian Government estimates that this will attract between A$1.5 - $2 billion in new solar investments in Australia.
The Victorian Government is providing unprecedented support for the development and deployment of solar technologies. This extends from household applications to large-scale utility installations, from research and development to commercial deployment. It also includes support through solar feed-in tariffs.
Leading the charge, the Victorian Government has committed to increasing Victoria’s electricity supply from large scale solar power to approximately 5% by 2020 (approximately 2500 GWh) with an interim target for 2014 of 500 GWh. To support this growth, the Victorian Government is planning a feed-in tariff to provide the incentive necessary for investment in new large scale solar generation facilities in Victoria. By 2020, this measure is expected to result in the construction of between five and ten large plants across northern Victoria.
The Australian Government’s Solar Flagships program will provide significant funding for large-scale solar generation. There are three Victorian bids short listed in Phase One of Solar Flagships for which the Victorian Government has committed $100 million in funding support for electricity supplied from 2015. A Commonwealth decision is expected in 2011.
The Victorian Government is also committing $5 million for up to 10 solar energy hubs across Victoria, delivering around 8.6 MW of community-based solar power and providing opportunities for the more than 500 accredited installers. Communities will be able to benefit from bulk purchases of solar panels and installation services, reducing the cost of individual rooftop solar system installations.
In August 2010, the Victorian Government announced the establishment of the office of Solar Energy. This initiative will provide co-ordination and promotion of all solar projects across Government.
To streamline development of renewable energy projects the Victorian Government is establishing a Green Door for Renewable Energy. The Green Door will be a ‘one-stop shop’ for energy projects that meet a low emission threshold of 0.5 tCO2/MWh. Every project will be assigned a case manager to help navigate the application and planning processes. Aligned with this initiative is the establishment of a Green Skills Taskforce through the Victorian Skills Commission to provide strategic advice on Victoria’s green skills and training needs.
Through its Energy Technology Innovation Strategy (ETIS), the Victorian Government is investing more than $390 million in low emission energy technologies. To date over $56 million has been committed through ETIS for solar projects ranging from R&D to large scale demonstration.
Most recently, the Victorian Government committed to re-allocating $30 million in uncommitted funds within the Energy Technology Innovation Strategy to provide competitive grants for pilot scale and R&D sustainable technology projects. Technologies eligible for support from the program will include renewables, smart grid technologies and energy efficiency for the commercial and industrial sector.
Solar Systems
In 2006 the Victorian Government committed up to A$50 million to develop and demonstrate a locally invented solar concentrating technology. Supported with up to A$75 million from the Commonwealth Government, the project aims to advance and deploy this exciting new solar technology in a 100 MW solar power station – producing enough electricity to power up to 45,000 homes.
In May 2010, the company that was originally awarded the funding was purchased by another Australian company, Silex Systems Ltd, and its newly-created subsidiary Solar Systems Pty Ltd. Development of the technology has since recommenced, including expansion of the original manufacturing facility in Melbourne, and the outdoor test facility at Bridgewater in the State’s North Central region.
Pre-commercial work is concentrating on the dense solar array technology, with a 2 MW utility-scale pilot plant expected to be operational by 2013. It is expected that the 100 MW solar power plant will be operational by 2015. By the time it is completed, the project will be worth over A$470 million.
Organic thin film solar technology
In September 2006, the Victorian Government complemented its investment in large-scale solar with a A$6 million investment in next generation thin film solar through ETIS. The Victorian Organic Solar Cell consortium includes world class researchers from the Universities of Melbourne and Monash, the CSIRO and industry partners Securency International, Bluescope Steel, Merck and BP.
This project aims to produce a prototype organic PV cell with 7% efficiency and to fabricate flexible solar cells by thin-film coating techniques, leading to production of large scale, reel-to-reel printable plastic solar cells that are competitive with other technologies. These solar cells do not need to be facing the sun to provide optimal performance efficiency.
The project now has a total value of over $16 million, with the consortium having leveraged further funding. The next stage includes producing a 7% efficient pre-commercial product. The focus will be on cost reduction, improved efficiency and product durability.
For more information contact:
Energy Technology Innovation Strategy (pre-commercial funding)
Department of Primary Industries
1 Spring Street (GPO Box 440)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3001
Telephone: +61 3 9658 4193
Email: etis@dpi.vic.gov.au
www.dpi.vic.gov.au/etis
Energy Investment (post commercial)
Department of Primary Industries
1 Spring Street (GPO Box 440)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3001
Telephone: +61 3 9658 4179
Email: largescale.solar@dpi.vic.gov.au
www.dpi.vic.gov.au/largescalesolar
To receive this publication in an accessible format email largescale.solar@dpi.vic.gov.au
Authorised by the Victorian Government, Melbourne © Copyright State of Victoria, August 2010
ISBN 978-1-74264-448-6 (print)
ISBN 978-1-74264-449-3 (online)
