The South Australian Government has announced the formation of a parliamentary inquiry into the possible use of solar thermal energy.

 

State Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the select committee will inquire into a proposal to replace Alinta Energy’s Northern and Playford coal-fired stations at Port Augusta with a concentrated solar thermal plant when the supply of coal from Leigh Creek is no longer viable.

 

“This Government agreed to establish this inquiry because we support the greater use of renewable technologies such as solar power to generate electricity,” Mr Koutsantonis said.

 

“We have set an ambitious target to make renewable technology the source of 33% of our energy generation by 2020. Already, if South Australia was a country we would be second in the world when it comes to generating power through renewable technology.”

 

“To reach our 2020 targets solar, wind, geothermal and wave power all have to be considered as part of that mix.”