Cloncurry goes solar

CLONCURRY, Australia, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- An Australian city is about to become the first solar-powered town.

The Queensland government is hoping to supply electricity to all 4,828 residents with power from a $7 million solar thermal station.

A 10 megawatt plant will use 8,000 mirrors to reflect sunlight onto graphite blocks, heating them up. Water will be pumped through the blocks to generate steam that will operate a turbine electricity generator, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

No more water is expected to be used than what falls in an average precipitation year. Many energy experts conclude that solar energy, much like wind energy or hydro, is best suited for small, rural towns that are far from urban electric grids.

The station in Cloncurry could deliver about 30 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, enough to meet the needs of the entire community. It is expected to be ready as early as 2010, said Geoff Wilson, the state's energy minister.

Australia's Lloyd Energy Storage designed the plant and its operating system. That project is expected to start next year and reach full capacity by 2013.