Chapter 3 Climate Applications and Services

Energy

The climate of a region influences many aspects of energy prospecting, production and use. On the other hand, use of fossil fuel energy is likely to affect the global climate. Australian organisations are among world leaders in research and development of renewable energy technology. Renewable energy, mainly hydro, now accounts for about 10.5 per cent of all power generated in Australia. The government’s Mandatory Renewable Energy Target requires that two per cent of the forecast market in 1997 must come from renewable energy by 2010.

Solar Energy

One of the main inputs into the design or evaluation of an energy system that relies on solar radiation is to understand the variations in this climatic parameter. Computer models have been developed that use measurements of visible radiation (radiance) from satellites to produce estimates of the total amount of solar radiation reaching the earth's surface. The Bureau of Meteorology produces gridded high resolution daily maps for Australia that, together with high quality in-situ measurements from a small number of locations, will provide improved climatologies for developers and operators of renewable energy systems.

The photovoltaic industry (solar electricity) is currently growing at around 30% a year worldwide. Australia is already a key player in photovoltaics as the largest manufacturer per capita and a research leader. The International Centre for Application of Solar Energy provides installation of Australian renewable energy technology in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, and training programs in renewable hybrid energy technology and applications. The SOLARCH Group at the Centre for a Sustainable Built Environment at the University of NSW has been leading Australian involvement in the International Energy Agency Task on Building Integrated Photovoltaics for the last five years and this has resulted in a book titled 'Designing with Solar Power' by Prasad and Snow (2003). Another outcome of this involvement is the Australian Guidelines for Building Integrated Photovoltaics for the Australian Greenhouse Office. The development of concepts and supporting technology for a high efficiency "third-generation" photovoltaic technology based on thin films is the primary aim for the Key Centre for Photovoltaic Engineering at the University of NSW.

Combined Heat and Power Solar collectors (Courtesy of the Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems at the ANU).

Because of its intense solar radiation, Mildura has been chosen as the location for a 200MW solar thermal power station, using novel Solar Tower renewable energy technology. This technology generates power by heating air under a translucent membrane and drawing the air up through electricity generating turbines located at the base of a tall tower. At 1000 metres in height, the tower will be the tallest structure in the world. The solar collector is proposed to be 5000 metres in diameter. One Solar Tower will generate enough power for 200,000 homes – saving 830,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year from entering the environment.

The Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSES) at the ANU is constructing a large concentrating solar system that provides both electricity and hot water to a new student residence to be built on the ANU campus at Bruce Hall. This project will provide a pathway for commercialisation of the Combined Heat and Power Solar (CHAPS) collectors.

A joint venture between the ANU and Origin Energy has developed a new type of solar cell with the potential to revolutionise the global solar power industry. The Silver Cells developed in CSES use just one tenth of the costly silicon used in conventional solar panels while matching power, performance and efficiency.

Starting in March 2003, the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne sourced a substantial component of its energy requirement from a grid-connected solar system. Under a contract signed with the Melbourne City Council, BP Solar in association with Origin Energy installed a 200 kilowatt solar system to cover one-third of the Market roof-space. The project is the largest grid-connected solar installation in any Australian city. As a contribution to public education on the topic, BP Solar and Origin Energy will sponsor a permanent solar power display on-site.

Wind energy

Australia has one of the world's best wind resources, particularly along the southeastern coast. Approximately 40 proposals for installation of wind power systems awaiting evaluation in South Australia, including one of the nation's largest wind farm projects at Lake Bonney, in the southeast. South Australia is expected to be the largest producer of wind power in the south-east Pacific area within 10 years. Analyses from the Bureau of Meteorology's regional prediction model and CSIRO's Air Pollution Model are being used to model the potential for wind power generation throughout eastern Australia's mountainous regions. After the modelling identifies highly prospective locations, specialised analyses and monitoring will be instituted.

New planning guidelines for wind farms in Victoria are being developed to accelerate green energy developments. Construction of Victoria's newest wind farm, at Challicum Hills near Ararat, began in December 2002. The Portland Wind Energy project with 120 wind generators along the south-western coast will produce enough clean energy to meet the electricity needs of 113,000 Victorian households each year, saving some 800,00 tonnes of carbon dioxide that would otherwise be produced through non-renewable energy. The Victorian Government sees the potential in Victoria for 1,000 megawatts of generation from wind energy by 2006.

Queen Victoria Market Solar System (Courtesy of the Origin Energy).

A new company has been formed to build and operate a wind farm east of Geraldton, in mid-west Western Australia, to feed into south-west Western Australia's electricity grid. A 2,500 hectare site at Walkaway has been identified for the wind farm. The company expects construction of the facility to be completed by the end of 2004.

Antarctica's winds will be harnessed to power an Australian Antarctic station. The Australian Antarctic Division project will result in Antarctica's first large-scale wind turbine installation, providing nearly a megawatt of power to Australia's Mawson station. When the system is fully developed, an Antarctic station will for the first time be able to use a renewable source to meet virtually all its energy needs.

The Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) is a New South Wales Government Authority set up to reduce greenhouse emissions from the electricity sector in the State. SEDA has established comprehensive wind data collection and mapping throughout NSW and released a Wind Energy Handbook and a state-of-theart Wind Atlas to accelerate wind energy developments in Australia. The Singleton Solar Farm, the largest solar farm in the southern hemisphere, was commissioned with the support of a grant from SEDA. SEDA’s responsibilities extend eastward to Lord Howe Island.