New green energy power station helps fight greenhouse

12/5/04
Western Australia's newest power station - generating electricity from household rubbish - has been officially opened today by Energy Minister Eric Ripper at Mindarie, north of Perth.
Mr Ripper said the power station used methane gas from the Tamala Park Landfill Facility to generate enough electricity for around 2,500 homes.
The Minister said the power station represented another step in WA's fight against harmful greenhouse gas emissions and coincided with Government plans to open up the market to more renewable energy producers.
"Using methane gas to generate electricity rather than allow it to escape into the atmosphere turns a potential environmental problem into a socially useful product," he said.
Mr Ripper said Tamala Park was the landfill site for the local authorities of Wanneroo, Joondalup, Stirling, Perth, Vincent, Cambridge and Victoria Park. Waste to energy company Landfill Gas and Power Pty Ltd designed, built and owns the onsite power station.
The State Government wanted to see more renewable energy projects in WA using wind and solar resources as well as waste material.
But the failure of the Greens and Liberal Party in the Legislative Council to support the Government's reform of Western Power put a handbrake on the development of the industry.
"Western Power dominates power generation, and controls the power lines and the retailing of power, so it is difficult for green power producers to break into the market," the Minister said.
Mr Ripper said the Government would put in place new rules next month to allow renewable energy generators more favourable terms for balancing energy supply and demand through the State's power grid. Currently, renewable energy generators suffered higher balancing costs because of the variability of their power supply.
The Minister said the new rules were necessary to help renewable energy producers compete for customers when businesses using more than 5.7 kilowatts per annum - with power bills of around $8,000 - will be eligible to choose their own supplier from January 2005.
"It is good for the economy and good for the environment that we have a thriving, diverse, innovative renewable energy industry operating in a free and open energy market," he said.
"We have taken every step possible to boost the renewable energy industry within the constraint of Western Power remaining a vertically integrated monopoly, but if the Greens or the Liberals had a change of heart and supported the Government reforms, we could see a dramatic increase in opportunities for green energy."
Minister's office: 9222 8788