Expansion of Sundrop Farms seawater horticulture project approved by Port Augusta

This seems to be a sensible project for an arid country - Where's Tony and Joe? 

Surely they could knock it on the head before it gets out of hand. More coal mines Hey Joe?


Wed 13 Aug 2014, 7:46am

PHOTO: Solar-thermal power helps Sundrop grow vegetables in an arid climate.
MAP: Port Augusta 5700

A horticultural project that uses seawater to grow vegetables, Sundrop Farms, will be expanded with the backing of South Australia's Port Augusta Council.

Sundrop Farms uses solar-thermal energy to desalinate water from Spencer Gulf to grow food in greenhouses about 20 kilometres south of Port Augusta.

The company was planning to build eight more greenhouses and supporting infrastructure across a 20-hectare site.

The expansion would include a solar-thermal station with a 115-metre tower and 11,000 stands with mirrors to power the operation.

There would be several seawater pipelines and a visitor centre to help promote tourism interest in the venture.
The ABC Catalyst program checked out the Sundrop growing venture in its arid landscape.

Port Augusta Council's development assessment panel approved the expansion if environmental conditions were met for the management of brine extracted from the water.

The planned solar-thermal generator for the horticulture project would be smaller than one proposed for an upgrade of Port Augusta's currently coal-fired power stations nearby.

Are any of our POLITICIANS LISTENING? Solar power could be cheaper than fossil fuels in 5 years!

"Solar power may be cheaper than electricity generated by fossil fuels and nuclear reactors within three to five years because of innovations, said Mark M. Little, the global research director for General Electric Co. (GE)
“If we can get solar at 15 cents a kilowatt-hour or lower, which I’m hopeful that we will do, you’re going to have a lot of people that are going to want to have solar at home,” Little said yesterday in an interview in Bloomberg’s Washington office. The 2009 average U.S. retail rate per kilowatt-hour for electricity ranges from 6.1 cents in Wyoming to 18.1 cents in Connecticut, according to Energy Information Administration data released in April."
The full report by By Brian Wingfield - May 26, 2011 6:58 PM ET for Bloomberg
In 2010 BP were a little more cautious -

BP Projects Solar Power to Equal Fossil Fuel Costs by 2020

BP officials have predicted the cost of solar energy will fall 10 percent a year for a decade, bringing the expense of solar energy to the same level as that of fossil fuels.
The comparative costs could meet in as soon as five years, according to Vahid Fotuhi, Middle East director of BP Solar, who explained at a conference in Abu Dhabi that the increasing cost of fossil fuel and the decreasing cost of alternative energy would likely meet in the middle.
The increase in oil prices are expected to continue indefinitely, and rise to an average of $94.50 a barrel in 2012 and $102.13 a barrel in 2013.
The full report by By David Amstell | 11/25/10 - for PE Power and Energy

Interesting comment by Ramez Naam on the possibility of the rapid decline in solar energy prices.
 Unbridled Speculation by Ramez Naam

The decks are well under way

The renderers make a start

It is so good to see the white foam disappear.

An acrylic render and fibre glass mesh  is applied to the foam to for strength, the render is allowed to cure for two to three weeks and then painted.

The bricks arrive

No way will this go together!

It looked very complicated and it took some time to get the steel organized
A few minor adjustments and it all eventually went together.

Where will we put the bloody steel?

The steel work for the decks finally arrives and after considerable discussion about where to put it - just crane it over the fence boys!