Solar energy currently comprises two main types of
technology – solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal. This technology can be used on a small scale, such as systems on residential rooftops, and on a larger scale with the difference being the volume of electricity able to be generated from these systems. Australia is ideally placed to make the most of Over the same period, large scale solar generation large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power as one accounted for around 3.5 per cent of renewable of the countries that enjoys the most sunshine in energy, or 206 GWh. This is starting to change the world. in Australia with a number of new large-scale Solar PV converts the sun’s energy into direct solar systems being built in 2015 and more now current electricity. It involves the use of solar under construction. In 2015, the cumulative cells which are packed behind glass to form the installed capacity of large-scale solar generation modules commonly seen on the rooftops of was four times higher than in 2014. residential premises. Solar PV has proven popular In recent years, solar technology has improved because it is reasonably easy to install on and the cost of solar panels has come down common structures such as houses, warehouses significantly. These changes help to make and parking lots. Besides the panels themselves large-scale solar projects like Origin’s Darling the other main component is the inverter which Downs more competitive with other renewable converts the energy from the panel from direct energy sources. current (DC) to alternating current (AC) which is LARGE SCALE SOLAR CUMULATIVE INSTALLED CAPACITY (MW) generally used by local networks. Solar thermal uses the sun’s energy to produce 250 heat which is then used to drive a conventional YEAR CAPACITY steam turbine to produce electricity. Various (MW) types of solar thermal technologies are used 200 across the world including concentrating solar 2009 4 INSTALLED CAPACITY (MW)
power which uses an array of mirrors or lenses to 2010 4
project a concentrated amount of sunlight onto a 150 central location such as a tower. 2011 6 1.2
In 2015, 14.6 per cent of Australia’s electricity 2012 26
100 generation was sourced from renewable energy. 2013 29 Of this renewable energy, 17 per cent was from solar energy. Household and commercial solar 2014 53 50 systems less than 100kW in size generated the 2015 216 overwhelming majority (95 per cent) of this solar energy. Solar PV systems have proven so popular 0 with Australian households that by the end of 2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2015 over 1.5 million small-scale systems had
been installed1.
Large-scale solar cumulative installed capacity (MW)
Source: Clean Energy Council 2015, Clean Energy Australia Report 2015
(1) Clean Energy Council 2015 Clean Energy Australia Report
LARGE-SCALE SOLAR | AUGUST 2016
FACT SHEET LARGE-SCALE SOLAR
Above ORIGIN AND LARGE-SCALE SOLAR Darling Downs Solar Farm
FRV’s 56 MW Moree Solar Farm Origin is committed to meeting our obligation Origin Energy is developing the Darling Downs in northern NSW under the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target Solar Farm, located approximately 45 km from (LRET). With the continued fall in the cost of the town of Dalby in south-western Queensland. solar technology we view large-scale solar as The project is situated next to Origin’s Darling providing an exciting opportunity in Australia, Downs combined cycle gas fired power station particularly in areas of high solar irradiation such and close to the Braemar substation, a regional as northern NSW and Queensland. We can high voltage transmission hub. This project has achieve this through various options including been shortlisted by the Australian Renewable building projects directly, underwriting projects Energy Agency (ARENA) for funding through through power purchase agreements (PPAs), its large scale PV competitive round. or by purchasing certificates on market. The site is an ideal location for a solar development given its high quality solar Large-Scale Solar PPAs resource, proximity to existing electrical PPAs are agreements between the producer infrastructure, visual shielding provided by of a resource and the buyer of a resource to buy surrounding site vegetation and minimal or sell portions of the power generation by the environmental impacts likely during producer. Origin has recently signed two PPAs construction due to historic site uses. with Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) for With a potential generating capacity of 100 per cent of the output and 100 per cent of approximately 105MW2, the Darling Downs the Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from Solar Farm will be one of the largest PV projects two large-scale solar projects; the 56 MW Moree in Australia and will produce enough electricity Solar Farm in northern New South Wales and each year to power up to 32,0003 homes. The the 100 MW Clare Solar farm in northern project will take approximately one year to Queensland. When complete, these two projects construct, involving the building of access are expected to produce around 400 GWh of tracks, electrical substations and installation electricity annually. of approximately 400,000 solar panels on Both sites will use single-axis tracking technology, mounting structures across the site. The project which means that the panels are able to track is being designed to produce electricity for up the path of the sun over the course of the day, to 30 years. resulting in more energy being generated over a longer period of the day than if they were fixed.
(2) AC-peak (plant capacity at the National Electricity Grid
connection point) (3) Based on preliminary plant yield estimates and an average daily household electricity usage of 19kWh