The Conservation Council of South Australia welcomes the announcement that under the new Carbon Tax it is highly likely Playford B power station will close as early as 2014*. The challenge now is to make sure the power station at Port Augusta is replaced with renewable energy technologies and not gas. This will secure jobs in the region as Australia's transitions away from coal to renewables.
Conservation Council of SA CE Tim Kelly said: "With the massive mining boom set to take off and the introduction of a price on pollution, now is the perfect opportunity to move Port Augusta's coal-fired power generators over to large scale CST. Port Augusta could become the hub of a renewable green power region providing solar energy to complement rapidly developing wind resources."
"There are risks in simply reaching for gas as the alternative energy generation source. South Australia is already a net importer of gas. If South Australia puts in new and large gas fired power plants, it will become increasingly dependent on gas imports from interstate".
"Electricity production from gas is not clean. Gas from conventional sources is diminishing and obtaining gas from unconventional sources such as coal seams using fracking is more greenhouse gas intensive with high environmental costs to surrounding groundwater sources and agricultural lands."
" We need to ensure that South Australia does not become overly dependent on gas, particularly when there are proven technologies like CST and wind."
In May Conservation Council SA launched the Green our Grid campaign calling on Playford B to be closed and replaced with renewable energy technologies like Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) The Conservation Council has sought to be involved in discussions with key stakeholders on how to maximise opportunities for Playford B to be replaced with renewable energy, through collaboration.
