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Installed geothermal generating capacity (December 2004) in MW
Birdsville 0.15

There is only one unit generating electric power from geothermal energy currently in operation in the country: the 150 kW binary cycle plant at Birdsville in SW Queensland, (Chopra, 2005).

The electric power demand for the small town of Birdsville follows the standard seasonal pattern with highest demand in the hot summer months when air-conditioning is used extensively (150 kW) and relatively low demand in winter (120 kW). In order to supply the base load, a geothermal power station with a nominal power rating of 150 kW has been installed, using 98°C fluid from 1,200 m deep wells. This plant, installed in 1992, was upgraded and refurbished in 1999 and is currently in operation.

It is important to highlight the relevant research on Hot Dry Rock (HDR) technology. The most advanced project is in the Cooper Basin region of north east South Australia, with a 4.4 km deep borehole, at temperatures in excess of 250°C. The drilling of a second deep well in 2004 will be followed by a planned circulation test in early 2005. Drilling activity for the country by ending of 2004 was: two wells of 6 km have been realized and a third one of 4 km is scheduled.

The Mandatory Renewable Electricity Target (MRET) Scheme was introduced in 2001, requiring that by 2010 approximately 2% of the Australia’s annual electricity consumption should be supplied from renewable technologies. Geothermal energy and, in particular, Hot Dry Rock has been identified as a technology that can be supported in future.

Taken from Ruggero Bertani’s paper, " World Geothermal Generation 2001-2005: State of the Art", published in Proceedings of the World Geothermal Congress 2005, Antalya, Turkey, 24-29 April 2005.