Australia has set aside a budget of A$4.65billion to spend on a clean energy initiative and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced that A$1.4billion of that is to be spent on what will be the world’s largest solar power station. This 1000-megawatt plant will be three times larger than the current biggest, which is in California.
Applications for tender will be open later in the year with the successful bids being known in the early part of 2010. The project will eventually lead to a network of solar power stations that takes in Australia’s sunniest spots as well as the current national grid.
Australia currently gets around 85% of its energy from coal, so this new move is being seen as a positive step towards a greener future.
Mr Rudd said: “Why are we doing this? We are doing it in order to support a clean energy future for Australia, we’re doing it to boost economic activity now and we’re doing it also to provide jobs and much needed opportunities for business as well.”
Australia is also set to become a full member of the International Renewable Energy Agency. IRENA currently has more than 80 countries signed up and the organisation is set to hold its first meeting in June.
This news comes in the same week that Pennsylvania governors announced that anyone in the state installing solar technologies will be rewarded with 45% off the price.
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