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 revised Feed In Tariff rates are due to be implemented on 1st August 2011.

The rate for larger scale solar energy projects of 250 kW – 5MW has been dramatically reduced from 30.7 pence per kWh to 8.5 pence. As a result the UK is unlikely to see proposals for ground based solar parks of this scale. Many in the industry believe only solar projects in the highest tariff band of up to 5kW are likely to be installed.

Conversely, as only a handful of new anaerobic digestion plants have been installed under the existing FIT tariff rate, the Government has decided the rate should be increased.

Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said:

“I want to drive an ambitious roll out of new green energy technologies in homes, communities and small businesses and the FIT scheme has a vital part to play in building a more decentralised energy economy.

“We have carefully considered the evidence that has been presented as part of the consultation and this has reinforced my conviction of the need to make changes as a matter of urgency. Without action the scheme would be overwhelmed.”

Dave Sowden, Chief Executive of the Micropower Council commented:

“This is bad news for many worthwhile projects – schools, communities, public buildings. The Government was clear from last November it intended to act on large-scale, field-based solar, but took the entire Built Environment sector completely by surprise when announcing the review, and we are disappointed it has not been persuaded to recognise the merits of projects in this sector or recognise the impact on investor confidence surprise announcements can have.

In the longer term, we also need to start now to build the case for a significantly more ambitious feed-in tariff scheme during the next Spending Review Period (2015 onwards) so that all forms of sustainable electricity production from buildings can be scaled up and costs brought down quickly.”

The new solar and anaerobic digestion FIT rates are outlined below:

New Solar PV
>50 kW – <150 kW total installed capacity = 19 pence/ kWh
>150 kW – <250 kW = 15p/ kWh
250 kW - 5 MW and stand alone installations = 8.5 pence/kWh

New Anaerobic digestion:
< 250 kW = 14p/ kWh
>250 kW – < 500 kW = 13p/ kWh

Since the introduction of the feed in tariff (FIT) by the previous government in April, over 9000 new wind, solar, hydro and micro combined heat and power projects have been installed by both householders and commercial organisations.  Installations in August doubled those in July with nearly 4000 householders going green.

Favourite small scale renewable energy technologies in the UK remain wind energy and solar power, although hydro -electric power is becoming more popular with almost 40 new projects last month.

The FIT is also attracting European solar companies to the UK- in particular German solar PV companies such as Centrosolar.

For a fact sheet on the FIT visit the UK energy regulator Ogfem website.

T. Boone Pickens said that the plans for the $12 billion wind farm have been put on hold temporarily while expensive grid upgrades are put in place by the State. Pickens’ company, Mesa Power LP had planned to start construction next year but now have a spare 667 GE wind turbines to find a home for. Boone told reporters “my garage won’t hold them“. Likely candidate sites are reported as being in Canada or the Midwest – presumably where there is grid availability.

The Texas oil billionaire said “It doesn’t mean that wind is dead… It just means we got a little bit too quick off the blocks.”

The wind energy and solar sectors are the fastest growing renewable energy sectors in the U.S. with the country taking over as the leading wind energy provider in 2008.

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

Despite the UK being the windiest country in Europe, the UK generates just under 2% of its energy from renewable energy such as wind energy and solar. This is less than most countries in Europe – with the exception of Luxembourg and Malta.

The table illustrating percentages of energy requirements sourced from renewables was produced in response to a parliamentary question asked by Michael Meacher – former environment minister. Sweden was top of the table with 35.7% of electricity consumption from renewables followed by Romania with 19.2%. Denmark and Portugal also ranked high.

Robin Oakley of Greenpeace blames the UK renewable obligation certificate (ROC) for the lack of progress, saying that countries with feed in tariffs are more attractive to investors due to a more certain financial return. He fails to recognise that the value and rate of the return is just as important as the confidence any financial mechanism provides. The ROC has resulted in wind energy projects being developed in locations that have enough wind resource to make them economically and environmentally sustainable. Many companies see financial returns from wind energy projects in the UK as more attractive than in European countries such as Germany – because the returns are likely to be greater – particularly with the overall higher wind speeds.

A representative from the Department of Energy and Climate Change referred to an increase of 26% in onshore wind power generation from 2006 to 2007 and a 20% increase in offshore wind. The planning system is the most influential factor preventing the faster delivery of renewable energy in the UK – although the government is not helping investor confidence by allowing rates on wind farms to soon be doubled.

New investments were made throughout the globe, notably in developing countries. Wind energy technology was the front runner in 08 – attracting the biggest new worldwide investment of $52bn (£32bn). Solar energy was second favourite with $33.5bn (£21bn) investment. China experienced a $15.6bn (£10m) injection – mostly in wind energy and biomass electricity generation plant.

Anchim Steiner, executive director of the UN Environment Programme told The Guardian “There have been many milestones reached in recent years, but this report suggests renewable energy has now reached a tipping point where it is as important – if not more important – in the global energy mix than fossil fuels”

Following the announcement however, the UN sounded a note of caution. The figures for renewable energy investment this year started on a low with a 53% drop when compared against the first quarter of last year.

Over half the shareholders of Idaho Power Co approved a resolution to expand its renewable energy portfolio at the annual meeting held last Thursday. The proposal was given the go ahead despite being opposed by the board of Idaho Power’s parent company – IdaCorp for cost reasons.

LaMont Keen, president and CEO, told The Idaho Statesman “The company takes this vote seriously and will consider adopting quantitative goals this year” .

Idaho Power supplies electricity to 487,000 residential customers and currently produces much of this (34%) from coal and natural gas/ diesel (14%). According to the Idaho Statesman, the utility is looking for an additional 150 megawatts of wind energy.

The move follows similar historic shareholder campaigns. Notoriously – shareholders of oil giant ExxonMobil lobbied to develop a more effective climate change policy last year.

A coalition of shareholders, including public investment, pension funds and the AFSCME public employees’ union, were all supportive of five shareholder resolutions proposed by the family of the company’s founder John D Rockefeller. The resolutions – also opposed by Exxon’s board, demanded the company set greenhouse gas emission targets, create a climate change task force, and to report on its strategy to develop new energy technologies.

Meanwhile, despite pulling out of UK wind energy, BP’s solar arm continues to do well further to green shareholder support as far back as 2000. At the time, one hundred shareholders holding over 120,000 shares forced BP Amoco’s Arctic exploration plans onto the company’s AGM agenda by submitting a formal resolution opposing BP’s controversial ‘Northstar’ project.

The concerned shareholders gathered together by Greenpeace submitted a resolution asking BP Amoco to switch investment to solar and make its vision of being a green energy company a reality. 9 years later and BP Solar has been selected to provide photovoltaic solar power systems for Wal-Mart stores in California.

Chris provides some interesting information, however some of the myths stem from an element of truth about the technologies which have in the past held them back. What is important is that people and companies are being financially driven to overcome the barriers and take these technologies to the next level where they are affordable.

Chris points to rapid innovation in the US which is expected to lead to thinner, more effective solar panels at a fraction of the cost of today. Unfortunately we are not yet there – everyone wants it to happen but mass market demand is still held back by high costs.

Spanish and German large scale solar power plants using long mirrors directing heat to a tube carrying liquid, in turn driving a steam turbine are described as being probably already financially competitive with coal on hot summer afternoons – although I’m not sure what comparison is over a year. The suggestion that Europe could get solar power from such plants located in the Sahara with a new long distance power line is moving into the realms of fantasy. There has been talk of a European super-grid for years, however we don’t seem to be able to provide sufficient power lines to transport electricity from north to south Scotland let alone between continents. The key barriers are costs and complex legislation.

Just for those wind energy sceptics out there – the article claims that wind provided almost 40% of Spanish Power earlier this year.

Marine energy has great potential for the future and is certainly not dead end. However there does need to be much more investment in the technology to really give it a kick start. Hopefully the increased renewable obligation certificates will do the trick.

Picture from CNET News