Intelligent solutions for the production of environmentally-friendly power and water

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For more information, contact:
Stewart Taggart, director, Acquasol Infrastructure Ltd.
phone: 02-9948-6272
email: staggart@acquasol.com.au               

              
Acquasol Welcomes "Power Park" Concept

Acquasol, a developer of environmentally-friendly water and power solutions, welcomes Dr. Stephen Schneider's ideas for "power parks" in Australia.

"This is just the kind of creative thinking we need," said Michael Fielden, Acquasol's managing director. "Power parks allow the marketplace the chance to pick winners, not government."

Acquasol plans to build a municipal-scale solar-powered desalination plant with land-based brine disposal just outside Port Augusta, South Australia. The plant will integrate renewable energy and desalination technologies to create environmentally-friendly electricity and water.

Dr. Schneider is a Stanford University climatologist and lead researcher for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a collection of 400 international scientists proposing multilateral policy options for battling global warming. Dr. Schneider spent six months in South Australia during 2006 as "Adelaide Thinker in Residence" advising the state on climate change strategies. These have been outlined in a report presented to the state entitled Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities.

Among major proposals is that South Australia create 'power parks.' These would be government-created, industrially-zoned areas with state-funded power-transmission connections within which private companies can test new energy technologies without having to fund all the expensive infrastructure themselves. Dr. Schneider has suggested that the southeast region of the state, the northern pastoral area, the region around Olymipc Dam and the northwest of the state as ideal for such parks.

Dr. Schneider mentioned Acquasol and "Solar Oasis," both solar desalination ventures, as prime examples of the power park concept at work. Both are investigating novel ways of applying renewable technology to big problems. Following his tenure as 'Thinker in Residence,' Dr. Schneider joined Acquasol as a non-executive director.

"Acquasol and Solar Oasis are examples of creative thinking applied to Australia's energy and water problems. More ideas like these can be unleashed if government creates the right conditions for private enterprise to find solutions to huge public problems."

"Companies like Acquasol and Solar Oasis representing the forefront of thenew energy and water revolution. They are laying the groundwork for crucial expertise to be developed that can replicated elsewhere in Australia and overseas."

Note: since leaving Australia as Adelaide Thinker in Residence, Dr. Schneider has joined Acquasol Pty Ltd. as a non-executive director.