14th Feb 2008, 10:32 AM – Senate Montions - Solar Energy Technology - Provide incentives

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Democrats Senator Lyn Allison. This means it was unsuccessful. The motion was:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) in December 2007 Ausra Inc. announced that it will build a manufacturing plant in Nevada for solar thermal power systems, (ii) Ausra’s innovations in mirror systems have brought the price of solar power down to the level of gas-fired power and is expected soon to be price competitive with coal-fired power, and (iii) the plant will produce 700 MW a year in solar thermal power systems for the American Southwest;

(b) congratulates the founder of Ausra, world-renowned, Dr David Mills, for this development and for his longstanding solar technology innovation at the University of Sydney, including:

(i) the evacuated tube solar water heater technology that is now in use in 60 per cent of these units worldwide, (ii) the Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector for use in solar thermal energy, (iii) photovoltaic systems, and (iv) a solar steriliser design which won a World Health Organization award in 2002;

(c) regrets that the economic benefits of this important innovation in renewable, clean, base load power have been lost to Australia; and (d) urges the Government to:

(i) recognise that Australia, like Nevada and California, has excellent sources of solar energy from which to generate solar thermal base load power, and (ii) provide the necessary incentives for the technology to also be established in Australia.