Alternative Energy Sources: Solar, Wind, Wave, Hot Rocks or Thermal?

Alternative energy supplies have been hampered largely because of one major fact about electricity: It dissipates as it travels long distances. This means which ever form of energy is generated it has to be stored close by and it loses too much energy if transferred long distances without being stored and passed on. This will mean 'booster' farms will need to be built but this is already happening if you look around your town and see the discreetly placed sub-stations. We will simply have more of them and in more places.

Let's look at the different possibilities of alternative energy sources. I believe each geographical location will harness and develop the one that is most suitable to their region. Australia is blessed because we have the choice of all of the five above.

Solar is suitable for all regions of Australia; Wind power is well suited to western Australia in particular and Wave generated electricity could be generated from between Bathurst and Melville Islands in the Northern Territory but there is only the people who live on those remote Islands who could benefit. The Islands are located too far off the mainland for the electricity to benefit Darwin residents. Solar power is suitable for both Islands and all other Northern Territory residents.

Hot Rock technology is probably better known as geothermal dynamics and is available and viable in the south-west of Queensland/South Australia border area but once again the generated electricity can't be transferred any great distances. But these hot rocks power one of the biggest mining ventures in Australia at Roxby Downs. This is a very good symbiotic arrangement for both the Mining Company and the geothermal power industry as a proving ground for the technology.