Renewable energy

Responding to climate change and the national Mandatory Renewable Energy Target of 20 percent renewable energy by 2020 will dramatically reshape the Australian electricity market over the next 20 years.  We aim to be at the forefront of these changes and have developed long-term development strategies for the implementation of renewable energies. Projects currently under development include:

Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project

In coal-fired electricity production, extra energy is required to pre-heat water entering the boiler. We plan to install a 44 megawatt equivalent solar thermal addition to the Kogan Creek Power Station to supplement this process, which will reduce the carbon footprint of the plant and improve plant efficiency. 

The Australian Government is providing $32 million in funding for the project through the Renewable Energy Demonstration Program.  The next step is for CS Energy to finalise front end engineering and design, so construction can begin at site later in 2010, with full operation scheduled for 2012.  International energy company AREVA is supplying the solar technology for the project.

More information
Media release: Minister for Resources and Energy
CS Energy media release
Fact sheet: Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project 

Solar Flagships projects 

CS Energy is also involved in two projects that have been shortlisted in Round One of the Australian Government's Solar Flagships Program:

• A Parsons Brinckerhoff proposal to construct a 150 MW solar thermal parabolic trough power station at Kogan Creek, and
• A Wind Prospect CWP proposal to use linear fresnel technology at Kogan Creek to construct a 250 MW power plant.

The two projects will now share up to $15 million in feasibility funding with six other projects shortlisted under the program. 

More information
Solar Flagships Program website

Wind projects

CS Energy is assessing the viability of a number of wind power projects in Queensland, each of which is above 50 MW in capacity. Wind power is a technically mature technology and one of the most economically viable sources of renewable energy currently available. Wind power generates electricity with no carbon dioxide emissions, has no fuel costs and has relatively low plant capital and running costs compared to other forms of renewable energy.

Electricity is generated in wind turbines through the rotating action of the wind turning the turbine blades, which turn an electro magnetic coil that generates electricity as it rotates.

Biomass

We’re investigating a potential biomass co-generation project at a Queensland sugar cane mill. The project would use waste from the sugar cane crushing process (bagasse) to generate electricity.