Inner West Courier: Ashfield - New plans for renewable energy

A NATIONAL team of engineers say they have worked out how to power NSW purely from wind and solar energy within 10 years.

Speaking ahead of a talk at the Ashfield Aquatic Centre this Thursday, the team says that within 10 years they can provide the 8000 mW currently used in NSW every day without resorting to highly-polluting fossil fuels.

Wollongong University Science and Technology lecturer Dr Adam Lucas said the plan revolved around the revolutionary technology of concentrated solar thermal power plants.

“This technology can store energy in big molten-salt tanks like a huge thermos flask,” the Dulwich Hill resident said.

“It is basically a field of mirrors organised on concentric circles around the tower, and they focus the rays of the sun at the top of the tower.

“The heated salt water is then pumped through a steam generator-turbine to create power.”

He said that power could be stored for up to 17 hours.

The plan is contained in the Zero Carbon Australia 2020 Storing Energy Plan, which has been discussed with ministers from the new Liberal Government.

Dr Lucas said 92 per cent of the state’s power comes from coal and gas, with only 8 per cent from renewables.

He said that traditional coal and gas operators were behind the false idea that renewable energy could not provide the baseload power needed to energise the state.The talk starts at 7pm, Thursday, May 5. Ashfield Aquatic Centre is at 160-178 Elizabeth St, Ashfield. Details: 0466 539 481.