Australia Plans World's Largest Solar Power Plant; Will Power 45,000 Homes

Sydney, Australia (AHN) - A $420 million solar power plant, the biggest and most efficient solar photovoltaic power station in the world, is set to be built in Victoria, Australia. The construction would start next year, according to Victoria state Premier John Brumby.

The 54-megawatt power station, almost double the size of the largest American solar power plant, would generate 270,000 megawatts of electricity directly from the sun - enough to meet the annual requirements of more than 45,000 homes.

The plant won't produce any greenhouse gas emissions, translating to savings of around 396,000 tons a year compared with coal-fired power plant. The difference in the output would generate tradable emissions credits that would allow the country to meet its renewable energy target of 20 percent by 2050.

Australian Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, announced a $75 million grant to the project under the Federal Government's Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund (LETDF). The Victorian Government will also support the project with a grant of $50 million.

Melbourne-based Solar Systems, which won among 30 bidders to the project, will develop the power plant on various sites across Mildura and Swan Hill regions in northern Victoria.