Skip to main content
 
  • Share this page on Facebook
  • Print this page

Sustainable Energy

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Sustainable energy technologies are set to play a greatly expanded role in meeting Victoria’s future energy needs. Victoria has an abundance of renewable energy resources, ready access to markets, and an effective operating environment.

The national target of increasing energy from renewable sources to at least 20% by 2020 will see a massive growth in renewable energy over the next 10 years. To ensure that Victoria leads this development and investment in renewable technologies, in July 2010 the Victorian Government set a State target of up to 25% of its electricity to be provided from renewable energy sources by 2020.

This target, announced in the Victorian Government White Paper on Climate Change, Taking Action for Victoria’s Future, is supported by a number of initiatives which will create new industries across the State, stimulate local economies and create thousands of new, green, skilled jobs – making a substantial contribution to Victoria’s future economic prosperity.

This expands the support of more than A$160 million of funding, which the State has invested over the last seven years, to drive advances in pre-commercial sustainable energy technologies. This funding has been provided through its Energy Technology Innovation Strategy (ETIS), which has attracted industry proposals from across the renewable energy
spectrum.

ETIS is designed specifically to accelerate development of innovative sustainable energy technologies, from research and development to pre-commercial deployment.

Australian Government support

The Commonwealth Government has committed more than A$2 billion to support renewable energy technology projects across Australia under its Clean Energy Initiative announced in May 2009. Victorian projects have a strong success rate in attracting funding from the Australian Government.

In July 2010, the Australian Government committed an additional A$1 billion for the development of “smart grids” across Australia

Market potential

The growing renewable energy sector in Australia provides opportunities for manufacturing and service industries that support renewable energy generators. Victoria has a strong manufacturing history, with many international and local companies positioning themselves here to leverage industry growth and local capability. Business opportunities extend to the
growing Asian market which has significant growth rates in electricity consumption and generation.

Victoria provides a stable business environment with sound intellectual property protection as well as a multicultural population and a multilingual skill base that can facilitate entry into Asia.

Many global companies are already investing in technology development in Victoria to leverage the wealth of knowledge and expertise. Tap into the growth of the renewable energy sector – we have the opportunities.

Current ETIS sustainable energy projects – research and development

The transport sector makes up about 17 per cent of Victoria’s annual greenhouse gas emissions, which is why research projects are critical in helping government and industry explore ways to tackle climate change.

Monash University and Ozmotech Pty Ltd have been funded to develop a new technology to produce diesel from the pyrolysis of waste plastics.

‘The higher national renewable energy target will boost renewable energy generation in Australia to at least 20% by 2020.’

Another project supported by ETIS is “Adding Energy Value to Solvent Based Fuels”, being undertaken by industry partners Geocycle and ASIRC. The market studies completed as part of the project confirmed and identified that higher moisture liquid wastes were a growing problem for industry with limited alternatives to landfill.

A third sustainable energy R&D project being funded has converted a normal car engine to hydrogen, offering the potential to slash greenhouse gas emissions from cars. The $2.92 million three-year Hydrogen Car Engine project is a joint collaboration between the University of Melbourne, the Ford Motor Company of Australia and Haskel Australia. The
project uses an engine manufactured at the Ford Factory in Geelong and has converted it to near zero emissions.

The fourth R&D project funded by ETIS to date is the Organic Solar Cell project, headed by the University of Melbourne, with partners Monash University, the CSIRO, Securency International, Bluescope Steel and Merck. It also has collaboration with 12 international experts and industry links.

The next stage over three years, includes producing a 7% efficient pre-commercial product. The focus will be on cost reduction, improved efficiency and product durability.

  • The Centre for Energy and Greenhouse Technologies (CEGT) provides investment funds to support the development of new sustainable energy and greenhouse reduction technologies to a pre-commercial stage. CEGT is Australia’s largest early stage sustainable energy technology investment team.

Current sustainable energy projects – large scale demonstration

Geothermal: In 2009 the State Government committed A$25 million to the Geelong Geothermal Power Project. This project has been funded under the ETIS Sustainable Energy Large Scale Demonstration Program (SE LSDP), and is coordinated by Greenearth Energy Ltd.

The first stage of this Project (A$5 million in government funding) involves work to confirm the extent and quality of hot sedimentary aquifers (HSA) at the project site, located about 11 kilometres north-west of Anglesea.

Once the geothermal resource has been confirmed, the Victorian Government will provide a further A$20 million towards the construction and demonstration of a 12 MW geothermal power plant that can feed renewable power into the local grid. Stage 3 is to be a 140 MW geothermal power plant, linked to the State’s electricity grid, and providing 24/7 emission-free electricity. It is anticipated that this geothermal project that could eventually power more than 120,000 homes.

Solar concentrating technology: In 2008 Solar Systems Generation was awarded up to $50 million by the State Government, funded by ETIS. This funding was provided to develop and build a $450 million world-leading concentrating solar photovoltaic power plant, to be located in North-West Victoria. The Commonwealth Government allocated up to $75 million through the Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund (LEDTF), and $5 million through the Asia Pacific Partnership (APP). In October 2008, the 140 KW development facility at Bridgewater was opened.

In May 2010 the original company was purchased by Australian firm Silex Systems Ltd and its newly-created subsidiary Solar Systems Pty Ltd. Development of the technology has recommenced, including expansion of the original manufacturing facility in Abbotsford, 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. The 100 MW solar power plant is planned to be operational by 2015. By the time it is completed the project will be worth over A$470 million.

Victorian Resources and Benefits

Resource Benefits
Solar
  • Northern Victoria receives 28.6 MJ/m2/day, average annual global normal irradiation.
  • A comparable resource to northern Australia but with superior network availability
  • The sunniest parts of the state are serviced by 220kV and 330kV
    transmission lines with spare capacity.

Map of Victoria showing average daily solar radiation which is generally highest in the north and particularly north west of the State 

Solar Radiation data supplied by the Bureau of Meteorology
Wind
  • Victoria has world-class wind resources. – Installed capacity of 428 MW.
  • 3600 MW of wind projects at planning stages.
  • Across Victoria the average wind speed is 6.5 metres per second.
  • Approximately 2/3 of Victoria’s land area has modelled wind speeds between 5.8 - 7.2 metres per second.
  • The “Roaring forties” results in higher wind speeds along the
    Victorian coast.

 Map of Victoria showing average yearly wind speed which is generally highest in the east of the State
Bioenergy
  • Untapped potential from farming to industrial waste. – Crops: wheat, barley, field peas, canola, chickpeas, faba beans, lentils and lupins.
  • Livestock: beef & dairy cattle, poultry and pigs.
  • Installed capacity of 72MW.

 Map of Victoria showing Agriculture MWh potential which is generally highest in the north west of the State
Geothermal
  • Geothermal temperature increase of 3 - 4ºC per 100 metres from the surface.
  • For more information on Victorian geothermal resources, please contact Geoscience Victoria at DPI, by email to: geoff.o’brien@dpi.vic.gov.au

 Map of Victoria showing the Sub surface temperature at 1000m depth which is highest in areas around the southern coast and along the western border

This resource assessment was developed in partnership with Sinclair Knight Merz and Professor Jim Cull, Monash Geoscope and is based on largely assumed data. Future surveys will confirm the resource quality
Wave
  • Victoria has world-class wave resources, particularly west of Cape Otway. A number of wave energy projects are proposed for waters around this area.
  • Some areas have a yearly potential of 20 - 30 KW per metre.

 Map of the coast of Victoria showing the wave power potential which is highest on the Western coastal line

This resource assessment was developed in partnership with Water Technology Pty Ltd
 

Detailed resource maps on all renewable energy resources are available at: www.sustainability.vic.gov.au

Get informed – Renewable energy resources

 Map of Victoria showing the electricity transmission network with to Interconnectors to South Australia and three interconnectors to NSW


Energy Delivery Infrastructure

Coupled with an abundance of natural resources, Victoria has extensive and robust electricity and gas distribution infrastructure. Victoria is integrated into the National Electricity Market which means that generators can participate in a 20 million people market.

Victoria – the place to be for innovation

Victoria has a strong and resilient economy recording positive growth during the global financial crisis, a skilled and innovative workforce and the political commitment to make it a world leader in the development of new low emission energy technologies.

Strong economy

Australia and Victoria enjoy strong and stable economies, with Victoria displaying consistent economic growth of more than three per cent over the past 14 years.

Political will

The Victorian and Australian governments have policies in place to support the swift technological advances necessary to reduce carbon emissions from the energy sector, and to accelerate the development and deployment of renewable energy technologies.

Strategic location

Victoria’s advantageous time zone provides ready access to the Asian market, while bridging North American and European business hours. Melbourne serves as a focal point for economic activity and acts as a centre for transport, manufacturing and is a service industry hub in Australia.

Melbourne is Australia’s knowledge, innovation and technology capital.’

 

Sound legal framework

Australia’s intellectual property system and business framework is well regarded internationally as providing a stable business environment that is conducive to enterprise and protective of innovation.

Skills

Victoria has a population of five million including 2.3 million workers, almost half of which are under 35 years old. Its workforce is highly skilled, renowned for its propensity for innovation and has one of the highest rates of tertiary
participation in the Asia-Pacific region. Victoria also boasts a multilingual and multicultural population. More than 150 languages are spoken in the state which is home to people from more than 230 nations.

Enviable lifestyle

The Victorian capital city of Melbourne is regarded as one of the world’s most liveable cities and has well-established and advanced infrastructure supporting a strong manufacturing and agricultural base, an internationally focused
service industry and world-class research.

Technology

Melbourne is Australia’s knowledge, innovation and technology capital and is home to a large cluster of research institutes, universities, Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) and technology parks, ready to collaborate on
innovative cross-sector projects.

For more information contact

Energy Technology Innovation
Department of Primary Industries
1 Spring St (GPO Box 4440)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3001
Telephone: +61 3 9658 4193
Facsimile: +61 3 9658 4916
Email: dpi.etis@dpi.vic.gov.au.

To receive this publication in an accessible format email dpi.etis@dpi.vic.gov.au

ISBN 978-1-74264-444-8 (print)
ISBN 978-1-74264-445-5 (online)