Dear reader, the following is an edited transcript of a recent conversation between two individuals, (of special interest) who are offering us an insight into why our banner is both emblematic and ambiguous. We anticipate no such ambiguity exists in this transcript.
Upon the subject of the solar arrays,
‘By the way the photo on the, (this) blog of the solar array looks very much like a photo of the solar array that the Feds and SA governments built at Umuwa, the Canberra of the APY lands. The array is another joke.
Umuwa, Solar Collectors. As described by GEM Yuendumu, “they’re very nice, but tell them I’ve already got one”
Perhaps you already know of this, but just in case here is the joke.
Umuwa is not a community, it is an administrative centre for the APY lands, or that is what it is supposed to be. It is really just a bad joke, or more correctly a collection of them. Here is one of them; the State and Fed government spent mega dollars on a solar array to supply power to Umuwa and it has not operated since 2011:
“The $2.5 million state- and federally-funded sun farm was built at Umuwa in 2003. Another $1 million was spent upgrading it in 2008, but it has not been running for the past year.” (source http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-25/solar-umuwa-apy-lands-sun-farm/2808796)
‘In 2000, the Pitjantjatjara Council secured $2.4 million for the construction of a field of 10 solar dishes on the APY Lands. The aim of the project was “to cut greenhouse gas emissions” while reducing “community expenditure on general fuel.”[v] At the time, it was estimated that the sun farm project would, when completed, provide about 20% of the power requirements for Pukatja, Yunyarinyi and a number of homelands, and produce “generator fuel savings in the vicinity of some $100 000 per year.” … On 30 June 2011, as part of Budget Estimates, Mr Steven Marshall MP (Member for Norwood) asked Minister Portolesi for an update on the operation and status of the sun farm. In reply, the Minister advised that it was “not financially sensible” to repair or upgrade the sun farm and that the facility would no longer operate.’ (Source http://www.papertracker.com.au/archived/apy-lands-sun-farm-at-umuwa/)
Work proceeding on the new Outstation Resource Centre. Ramps designed cleverly to allow mass processing. Improvised ramp cutting perpendicular to terracing to allow on stream ” rolling” of 44 gallon drums with bolts and nuts. ( Bolt Report Nov. 2015)
Now for the Solar Farm: Coincidentally I was told yesterday that the Yuendumu solar farm (which hasn’t operated for years) has just been dismantled. Our newly created Outstations Resource Centre (Yapa-kurlangu Ngurrara A.C.) is getting several 44 gallon drums worth of bolts and nuts for free as well as a large quantity of structural steel (luckily someone found out about the scrap steel etc. before it was taken to Alice Springs to be taken to the dump- which apparently was the plan).
I was also told that Power & Water intend to replace the now obsolete dishes with flat panels.
The reason the photo appears on the pcbcp site is that it shows (and here I quote) “on the day the photo was taken there were either two suns in the sky, or the dishes weren’t talking to each other”
Prototype Solar Systems reflector being tested by chief Engineer Solar Systems, Bill, (William) Archimedes.
Prototype “personal” solar reflectors developed by Solar Systems Australia. Costume and Goggles generously donated by Minister for Science and Innovation the Rt. Hon. Christopher Morris Pyne. From his personal collection.
The photo is indeed of the Solar Farm at Yuendumu. Lajamanu and Ntaria scored a solar farm each (as well as Umuwa)
Subject to me not having my facts right: These were constructed by Solar Systems Pty.Ltd. A Melbourne based company that was aiming to win the contract at the Victorian Government’s proposed Mega-Solar farm in the Wimmera. The dishes were experimental in nature, they were experimenting on designing better efficiency in converting photovoltaic energy into electricity and were making great strides when the Vic Govt changed their mind, and Solar Systems were not able to raise the funding to continue and went broke.
If only the likes of Malcolm Turnbull had withdrawn some of their money held in the Cayman Islands and invested it in Australian innovation (the latest buzz word) Solar Systems may never have looked back.
Standard type solar panels. Trialled with new ” protective anti glare non-melt uniform’ to be worn by all remote station denizens who exercise their choice to live there.
Rather counterintuitive but the “collectors” had to be cooled. An array of PVC pipes submerged in our sewerage ponds acted as a heat-exchanger and cooling water was continuously circulated and pumped and applied to the collectors to prevent them from melting.