Welcome to DESERTEC-Australia

By developing the huge resources of solar, geothermal, wind and wave energy in its Outback interior, Austraiia can be a 21st Century 'Clean Energy Superpower.'

A latticework of solar, geothermal, wind and wave energy plants spread around Australia could satisfy the nation's energy needs

Source: DESERTEC-Australia

Australia's interior is ideally suited to renewable energy. Large geothermal reserves sit below the surface. Large amounts of solar energy shine down from above. Wind and wave energy is abundant on the continent's southern coasts.

In its roadmap "Australia 2050: Clean Energy Superpower," DESERTEC-Australia proposes that Australia dramatically scale down coal-fired output between 2010 and 2020 and replace it with natural gas power and renewables. This would create significant greenhouse gas reductions through shifting base load power to cleaner sources.

After 2020, renewable energy will begin contributing very large amounts of power to the grid. As that occurs, limits should be set on the amount of individual renewable energies (wind, solar, geothermal) put into the grid for energy security's sake.

Freed surpluses of renewable energy can then be redirected to export markets, as can increasing amounts of natural gas supplies, as these are progressively relegated to load balancing in the domestic grid and away from baseload power.

As Australia begins serving export markets, subsea High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) power lines connecting the Australian continent to Asia can be laid, with natural gas pipelines carrying Northwest Shelf natural gas supplies to Asian markets laid alongisde.

The eventual result: around 2030-2040, would be a Pan-Asian energy superhighway, allowing increased cross border trade and greater regional security of supply in electricity and natural gas.

DESERTEC's comprehensive plans would enhance regional energy security, reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions and create a sturdy flexible, regional common-carrier energy infrastructure and, best of all, create jobs and economic growth in the sunrise industries of tomorrow.

The vision is outlined in in "Austraila 2050: Clean Energy Superpower."

A pan-Asian energy superhighway could eventually stretch from Beijing to the Great Australian Bight

Source: DESERTEC-Australia