VEPLA – Future of Renewables in Victoria Solar Energy Projects, 30 th April 2012 Shane Melotte, Element Projects

Overview  Current policy settings/incentives for solar projects  Project development for large scale solar  What’s next for solar in Victoria

Solar Resource Ref:

Source: Vic Solar Resource and Infrastructure

National Renewable Energy Target and State Feed in Tariff (FiT) Australian Installed PV Capacity Grid connected <100kW) Source: CEC Review of Australian Solar PV Industry 2011

ACT Reverse Auction FiT  Total Capacity of 40MW in Round 1  Project Size 2MW - 20MW  Closing date for prequalification bids 10 April 2012  49 proposal were received  Significant local and international interest  Complicated land tenure, grid constraints and biodiversity  Short list released 5 th June 2012

Grant Funding Fed + State  Solar Systems Bridgewater Test Facility and Mildura Plant – Stage 1 (2MW) to be completed 2012  TRUenergy Mallee Solar Park – 180MW Thin Film Project – Re- submissions being considered – Vic $100m still on the table. Photos: Courtesy of Solar Systems

Grant Funding State Only  Verve Energy Project - Greenough River, WA  10 MW Solar Thin Film  $50M build and 80 hectares cleared land  WA Government providing A$20 million including A$10 million from the WA Royalties for Regions program Source:greenoughsolarfarm.com.au

Off Grid / Behind the Meter Ref: CEC Review of Australian Solar PV Industry 2011

Demonstration / Leadership Projects Ballarat and Bendigo Community Solar Parks (Solar Cities program) NEXTDC (Data Centres)

Other notable projects  Sunpower/NT Power and Water Uterne 1MW Solar Park, Alice Springs, NT – Solar PV Tracking (Solar Cities Initiative)  University of Queensland 1.22 MW QLD, Solar PV roof mounted (State grant funding assistance)  CS Energy’s 44MW Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project, QLD – Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector technology  Wizard Power Whyalla Project, (Project Development), SA- Solar Thermal Dish kogansolarboost.com.aualicesolarcity.com.au/uterne-solar-power-station

Project Development  No specific planning policy solar in Victoria  Clause of VPPs – Renewable Energy Facility  Relatively land intensive  Generally flat cleared land – approx. 2 – 8 Ha per MW  Proximity to the grid critical and grid integration a challenge  Generally positive community feedback to projects  Logistics and labor force  Get the numbers to work

Project Barriers  Technology Cost  Insufficient Grid Infrastructure  Lack of detailed solar data  Availability of Skilled Workforce  Uncertainty in the Energy Market – Policy uncertainty  Land Acquisition  Grid Connection/integration  Power Purchase Agreement Ref: CEC large scale solar PV roadmap 2011

The Future Increasing Global investment Source: = $251 Billion

Levelised Cost of Energy For PV Source: Professor Emanual Sachs: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Source: Solar Power: Darkest before dawn, McKinsey & Company April 2012

What's next for Victoria - General  Victoria should consider its preparedness for the impacts of emerging technologies such as solar and energy storage ensuring maximum local benefit.  TRUenergy Mallee Solar Park?  Leverage the funding and finance opportunities coming out of Federal Government Clean Energy Plan  Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC)  Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)  Clean Technology Investment Program  Funding sources outside of the Clean Energy Future plan.

What's next for Victoria - General  Residential market will continue to consolidate and benefit from reducing technology costs.  Tailored commercial scale projects. These may be off grid, behind the meter or where innovative finance options can be provided.  Larger projects to emerge towards  Balance of System opportunities.

Opportunities - Planning  Consider policy requiring buildings to either integrate solar or be ‘solar ready’ (orientation and structure).  Consider policy that requires new development such as subdivisions to investigate and integrate renewables into the design.  Consider policy that preserves optimal locations for solar projects over the long term.