Solar Capital

Broadcast: 22/05/2009

Reporter: Chris Kimball

CHRIS KIMBALL, PRESENTER: Canberra could be Australia's solar capital. At present that's a green dream but it might soon be a commercial reality.

We're one of Australia's sunniest major cities, our generous feed-in tariff makes household solar a money earner, and the ACT Government is committed to a solar power station.

The research and expertise are all here. What's missing are the manufacturers who can turn the technology into both products and jobs.

PROF ANDREW BLAKERS, ANU SOLAR SCIENTIST: It would be very easy for Canberra to be 100 per cent solar powered. We have enough land. We have a relatively wealthy country. We have the technology reducing in price all the time. Over the next 20 years there is no reason that Canberra couldn't go to pretty much 100 per cent solar and wind powered.

CHRIS KIMBALL: Professor Andrew Blakers has been a solar scientist for three decades. This week we had a look at one of the potential sites for a solar power plant to be built as part of the Federal Government's $1.5-billion solar flagships program.

So this is Ingledene forest just outside of Tharwa, what was a forest before the '03 fires. One of the proposed sites for a power, a solar power station. Is this a good site?

PROF ANDREW BLAKERS: Yeah, it's a pretty good site, it's undulating. It's got good slopes in the north, there's not too many trees. You can put the panels anywhere, in little clumps here and there; for example, in between the - underneath the power lines. Well spaced, the kangaroos keep the grass down. It's a good site.

CHRIS KIMBALL: When people think of power stations they think of ugly installations and big, big buildings. Solar power stations, like what could be at this place, they couldn't be further from that by the sound of things.

PROF ANDREW BLAKERS: No, they're just basically bits of glass sitting there quietly, silently producing electricity sustainably for as long as you want.

CHRIS KIMBALL: So it's built in with the environment, too? Like a place like this.

PROF ANDREW BLAKERS: Very much so. It blends in well, it doesn't alienate the land particularly, there's no toxic products. It's just the perfect long term energy solution.

CHRIS KIMBALL: The solar flagships is a massive step forward for renewable energy in Australia but Professor Blakers says there are some key elements still missing if solar is going to move from a demonstration technology to a genuine industry.

PROF ANDREW BLAKERS: If the ACT Government is to put money into a substantial power station such as this one, at least that much money and more go in into the research development and manufacturing support of solar energy in Canberra. To make Canberra a real solar capital that has all the parts of the solar spectrum and not just one or two.

CHRIS KIMBALL: Canberra - Australia's solar capital. It has a nice ring to it and the concept is well supported, starting at the community level.

VANESSA MORRIS, CEO, SEE-CHANGE: For all of the reasons we know about the sunlight, the expendable income, the level of education - and I think we'd be really letting ourselves down and our future generations down if we don't show Australia and the world what really can and needs to be done and do it from here.

CHRIS KIMBALL: Vanessa Morris is the CEO of the SEE-Change organisation. SEE-Change has just started its second collective purchase of rooftop solar systems. The first proved popular and now other companies have joined the market, taking advantage of the ACT's generous feed-in tariff which pays householders for the solar power they generate.

VANESSA MORRIS: New Energy from Tasmania, Pyramid Power from the South Coast of New South Wales, Energy Matters have come in and are offering bulk buy arrangements and they're being taken up. And on top of that the local installers are doing extremely well as well. It's very exciting.

CHRIS KIMBALL: It's also an exciting time for solar scientists at the ANU.

SOLA SCIENTIST, ANU: It's a great time to be involved in it at the moment when there's so much interest in the community about what we're doing.

CHRIS KIMBALL: The Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems almost closed its doors before the last Federal election. Now it has 50 staff and a growing international reputation.

RAY PROWSE, CTR FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY: I think we're marching ahead leaps and bounds but we're doing so from a very small base. We're doing so from a history of utter reliance on fossil fuel technology and there's no doubt that the sale of fossil fuel related technologies is still Australia's number one export earner.

Consumers are looking for breakthroughs. The Australian public is absolutely champing at the bit for good, cost effective solar technology because I think that's the way they want to go.

CHRIS KIMBALL: So Canberra has the sun, the sites, the science, and the community demand for solar.

What's missing is manufacturing; turning the technology into commercial solar products and local green industry jobs.

PROF ANDREW BLAKERS: It's been incredibly frustrating watching one by one groups disappear overseas or collapse. It's been incredibly frustrating to see great Australian technologies marching off overseas.

MICHELLE MCCANN, CEO SPARK SOLAR: It's holding back our ability to consume goods that we make ourselves and it could very well see us in a five years' time being an importer of products which would be a real shame in a growing industry.

CHRIS KIMBALL: Michelle McCann and Canberra company Spark Solar aim to alter that trend and fill the missing link in the commercial solar chain.

Spark Solar is raising funds to set up Australia's only solar cell manufacturing facility, which could create 100 green-collar jobs. They've been offered incentives to set up in Wollongong or Geelong, but they're also strongly considering Canberra.

MICHELLE MCCANN: Canberra is a location that's both close to the Australian National University and the University of New South Wales. It also has a work force that's quite good for a photovoltaic plant. We operate 24 hours a day, seven days week. We've had favourable discussions with the ACT Government and they're progressing well. I can't really say too much more at this stage.

CHRIS KIMBALL: And we'll keep you posted on that one.