Newcastle
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As the Prime Minister has just outlined the Australian Government is pleased to launch this morning the new CSIRO Solar Tower.
The newly constructed state-of-the-art facility is just one of many projects supported by the Australian Solar Institute (ASI).
The ASI is funding a portfolio of projects leveraging over $200 million of investment from $66 million in Commonwealth funding to date.
The solar tower is a key project for advancing Australian solar research, which will see a number of other ASI projects utilise the CSIRO tower and field as part of their research.
It has already attracted international partners and I am sure this interest will only intensify.
This research will include the use of high temperature receivers, thermal storage and air turbines.
Australia has the highest average solar radiation per square metre of any continent in the world.
It is therefore important that Australia has a place at the forefront of solar energy research.
The Government’s commitment to the ASI is one of a broad range of measures we have adopted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, drive down the cost of clean energy and broaden Australia’s future energy mix.
It is part of our $5 billion Clean Energy Initiative – an investment that will accelerate the large scale deployment of renewable energy technology around the nation.
I commend everyone here today for their hard work on this project.
This facility is home to some of the best and brightest researchers in the world and I look forward to what you will achieve throughout the next stages of your research.