The Australian arm of the renewable energy company made the bid as part of the ‘Solar Dawn Consortium‘ alongside Areva and CS Energy.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard made the announcement following an 18-month competitive process which started in late 2009.

The ‘Solar Dawn’ project is a proposed 250 megawatt solar thermal gas hybrid power plant to be built near Chinchilla in South West Queensland. It is expected to reach capacity output by 2015.

Euan Cameron, Wind Prospect Group CEO said:

“The Solar Dawn project is a major achievement for Wind Prospect and its partners. We are an employee-owned company and this is exciting news for all of us. Along with the launch of our ‘ReBonds.co.uk’ investment programme last month, it highlights Wind Prospect’s innovative and pioneering approach to all aspects of the international renewables arena.”

Charles Hendry MP, Energy Minister of State (UK) said:

“I welcome the fact that a UK company is playing a vital role in one of the world’s largest renewable energy projects to be built in Australia. Wind Prospect is to be congratulated for its vision and its commitment to a renewable energy development on a global scale.

“The Solar Flagships project is a catalyst to developing future clean energy initiatives. It will have a local presence and a global impact on the reduction of carbon emissions. I am delighted that Wind Prospect is able to fly the flag for the UK and Australia.”

Solar Dawn is part of the Australian Government’s Solar Flagships Program, which aims to provide the foundation for large-scale, grid-connected solar power and to accelerate the commercialisation of solar power in Australia. It is a key component of the Australian Government’s $5 billion Clean Energy Initiative.

The Times report identified and congratulated individuals and groups from those who have brought about sustainability codes for big corporations to developers of new nuclear lazer fusion technology.

My first prize for the ‘most effective’ Heroe(s) of the Environment goes to the residents of Vauben.

Vauben is an urban area on the edge of the city of Freiburg in Germany. The district’s own residents decided to physically ban cars from their own streets and also garages attached to individual houses. As a result of taking the rules into their own hands a car parking space in the district will set a resident back a whopping US $30,000. According to Time, the result is a car ownership rate of 220 cars per 1000 residents compared with 520 cars per 1000 residents in the wider Freiburg area and much higher rates in other European cities. Residents believe that there is now more space for community life without the cars.

The district is also super hot on renewable energy thanks to resident energy consultant Andreas Delleske. Green building ideas such as triple glazed south facing windows combined together with co-generating units in cellar produce enough renewable electricity and heat to supply 60% opf the district’s power requirements and 30% of its hot water. Solar thermal technology provides for much of the remaining hot water requirement and non-home grown electricity is bought from a supplier sourcing electricity from local wood chip boiler systems.

My hat goes off to these people who have made very real, challenging and probably controversial changes in order to create the physical environment which reflects their green beliefs.

The report outlines the current technological status and growth of our favourite energy technologies, together with the key challenges and barriers for further development.

Wind energy is top of the list – described as a mature option in sustainable energy with great potential and a rapid development over the past 25 years. It has seen a healthy annual average growth and now makes a meaningful contribution towards global energy requirements. Seeing even larger increases in annual growth are the solar and geothermal technologies.

The Riso Report produced by the Danish National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy outlines development perspectives for energy supply technologies, new energy systems, end-use energy efficiency improvements and new policy measures. It also includes estimates of the CO2 reduction potential for different technologies.

A comparison of the reported annual average growth rates of wind energy compared with other technologies is listed below together with total share of global energy mix and potential share of global energy mix comparisons:

Wind
Annual average growth: 17.1 percent
Total share of global energy mix 2007: 3.3 percent of electricity
Potential total share of global energy mix 2030: 29.1 percent of electricity

Solar cells
Annual average growth: 40 percent
Total share of global energy mix 2007: 0.1 percent of total supply
Potential total share of global energy mix 2030: 1-2 percent of electricity

Solar thermal
Annual average growth: 17-20 percent

Biomass-based fuels for transport
Annual average growth: 6.3 percent
Total share of global energy mix 2007: one percent of transport fuel
Potential total share of global energy mix 2030: 10 percent of transport fuel

Biomass – combustion, gasification and pyrolysis
Potential total share of global energy mix 2030: 25 percent

Fossil fuels – combustion and gasification
Annual average growth: coal: 1.8 percent; gas: 2.3 percent; oil: 1.3 percent
Total share of global energy mix 2007: coal: 25 percent; gas: 25 percent of electricity; oil: 37 percent
Potential total share of global energy mix 2030: coal: 25 percent; gas: 31 percent of electricity

Nuclear energy (fission)
Annual average growth: 0.7 percent
Total share of global energy mix 2007: 16 percent of electricity
Potential total share of global energy mix 2030: 10 percent of electricity

Fusion energy
Total share of global energy mix 2007: zero

Geothermal energy
Annual average growth: 20 percent
Total share of global energy mix 2007: 0.4 percent of total supply
Potential total share of global energy mix 2030: two percent of total energy mix

Hydro, ocean, wave and tidal
Annual average growth: two percent
Total share of global energy mix 2007: hydro: 16 percent of electricity; wave, current and tidal: zero
Potential total share of global energy mix 2030: hydro: 16 percent of electricity; wave: 10 percent of electricity