RATCH Australia's Collinsville Undergoes Feasibility Studies for a Solar Thermal Plant

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Perth, Australia)--RATCH-Australia Corporation (RAC) (New South Wales, Australia), a leading power producer, has announced the closure of Collinsville Power Station, a 190-megawatt (MW), coal-fired power station in Collinsville, Queensland, Australia. RAC is owned by Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Public Limited Company (Nonthaburi, Thailand), a Thai-based power generation company, and Transfield Services Limited (New South Wales).

There are several rumours circulating about the closure of so many old, coal-fired power plants in Australia, including Collinsville, after they were hit by the new environmental regulations and the carbon tax.

Earlier in 2012, RAC announced its intentions to suspend the Collinsville units from operation for an indefinite period. There also were rumours about RAC plans to rebuild a renewable energy plant at the existing site; however, nothing was confirmed until recently, when RAC announced the proposal to build a new power plant on the same site using renewable energy.

The company is currently conducting feasibility studies to determine several options that are available to build a power plant at Collinsville. RAC will soon lodge the planning application to the Whitsunday Regional Council. Feasibility studies alone for the project would cost the company about $5.6 million, about $2.5 million of which will be funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency's (ARENA) Emerging Renewable Program.

"The study would enable the firm to better assess the economic viability of converting aging coal plants into solar hybrid installations," said Project Development Manager Anil Nangia.

RAC will collaborate with University of Queensland (UQ) to assess the viability of converting the coal-fired Collinsville Power Station to a renewable energy plant, with options to build a photovoltaic solar plant or hybrid solar thermal/gas power station. The completion of feasibility studies will determine if the company wants to use some of the existing equipment to build the new power station. RAC will use the technology provided by Novatec Solar Australia Pty Limited (New South Wales, Australia), which is headquartered in Germany, for developing this project.

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