The Australian Government has selected the AREVA Solar, CS Energy and Wind Pros- pect CWP consortium’s “Solar Dawn” as the preferred solar thermal power project in Round 1 of the Australian Government’s Solar Flagships Program.
The Solar Flagships Program aims to provide the foundation for large-scale, grid- connected solar power and accelerate the commercialization of this energy source in Australia. Solar Dawn is a proposed 250 megawatt solar thermal gas hybrid power plant.
The Australian Commonwealth and Queensland Governments announced their commitment to contribute AUS.$ 464 million and AUS.$ 75 million, respectively, to the project. The consortium will now work with government and stakeholders to finalize all relevant approvals and financing arrangements, as well as engineering, procurement, construc- tion, operations and maintenance contracts, by the end of 2011.