Solar power can produce steam and will do so for the first time in a national electricity grid in two Federal government projects.
Stephen Kaneff, of Anutech, a recipient of the funding, began work on the dish system 30 years ago. Sunlight is focused on a boiler to produce steam at about 500 degrees Celsius. The project will generate an estimated 2 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 1500 houses. He believes this will jump-start an
internationally competitive Australian industry for large-scale solar thermal power.
This is one of five installations being funded through the Renewable Energy Showcase Program. The others are: a 5-megawatt solar thermal power array at a power station, a biomass cogeneration plant, a process which separates organic matter from municipal waste and converts it into electricity, and two variable-speed wind turbines.
