ARENA de-funding puts at risk USD-900m solar project in S Australia

September 2 – Cutting the budget of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) would kill a AUD-1.2-billion (USD 896m/EUR 815m) solar thermal-plus-storage project in Port Augusta, South Australia.

The state’s premier Jay Weatherill told reporters, as cited by the Australian Associated Press (AAP), that there “seems to be speculation” that Labor may back the proposed cuts for ARENA, presented in the omnibus budget repair bill.

Such a move puts in danger the project in Port Augusta — a solar thermal power facility with energy storage capacity that will produce 110 MW during winter and 170 MW in summer. The company behind the project, New South Wales-based firm Solastor, previously said it would work with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), ARENA and the newly created Clean Energy Innovation Fund to help progress the project. If built, the park is to generate enough power per year for over 200,000 South Australian homes.

Jay Weatherill has called on federal Labor MPs to fight the AUD-1.3-billion funding cut for ARENA.

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