Located at the CSIRO Energy Centre site in Newcastle NSW, the NSETC will be a showcase for solar thermal technologies and play a key role in CSIRO’s ongoing research into efficient, low emission energy generation.

The NSETC will be the only multi-collector facility of its type in Australia and home to the largest high concentration solar array in the Southern Hemisphere. At peak operation it will generate enough electricity to power more than 100 homes.

The NSETC comprises three main elements:

• A high concentration tower solar array that uses 200 mirrors to generate more than 500kW of energy. It will be capable of achieving peak temperatures of over 1000 C
• A linear concentrator solar array that generates a hot fluid at temperatures around 250 C to power a small turbine generator
• A control room facility that will house the centre’s communications and control systems and serve as an elevated viewing platform.

CSIRO Engineer and NSETC Project Manager, Wes Stein, believes collaboration is integral to the progress of solar renewable energy research.

“CSIRO is very keen to use the NSETC to promote collaboration through shared use of the facility by Australian and international researchers,” he explained.

“Solar energy is the world’s largest energy resource and the NSETC will enable us to conduct research that sets us on the road to the ultimate objective of renewable-based energy supplies.”

The National Solar Energy Technology Centre is set to open in July 2005.

This project is proudly supported by the International Science Linkages programme established under the Australian Government’s innovation statement Backing Australia’s Ability, as well as the NSW Government’s Sustainable Energy Research & Development Fund (SERDF).

Original press release: CSIRO gets sun smart (CSIRO)