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| outback near Broken Hill, credit: Robyn Mackenzie |
The Australian government approved construction of the largest solar power station in the southern hemisphere beginning in January 2014. An agreement was reached on July 27th between AGL Energy Ltd and the New South Wales and Commonwealth governments. The project area is four times larger than Sydney's central business district and will meet the electricity needs of more than 50,000 Australian homes. Australia, the desert continent, has the highest average solar radiation per square meter, more than any other continent. The Two sites have been chosen, Nyngan in central NSW and the other near Broken Hill. Together the stations will produce 155MW. An American company, First Solar of Arizona will provide its advanced thin-film photovoltaic modules for the project. The project will help NSW meet its target of producing 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020. Project supporters hope it will boost investor confidence in clean energy because of its size. Since Labor was voted into government in 2007 Australia's wind capacity has tripled and more than one million solar panels have been installed. The Commonwealth has invested A$166.7 in renewable energy through the Renewable Energy Agency as well as funding solar power research at the Universities of Queensland and New South Wales. About 24,000 people are employed in clean energy jobs, double the estimated 10,000 employed of five years ago.
