Ann: Cooper Basin Project Update , page-7

Correct me if I am wrong but GDY are the only geothermal player with anything near a pilot plant and even that is yet to be commissioned.

From the REDP information guide:

"Project eligibility

3.2.1. Large-scale renewable energy demonstration project for power generation meeting the objective and outcomes of REDP

To be eligible a project must be a large-scale demonstration renewable energy project for power generation located in Australia. The program is designed to fill the gap between post-research and commercial uptake. Consequently, the REDP is targeted at project proposals that are relatively mature and are at the stage of commercial demonstration.
Demonstration is taken to be the final step to address remaining technology risks around integration and scale-up of the technology, once the technology has been proven at pilot plant scale. The project should be able to achieve specified performance outcomes and reliability standards such that commercial roll out of the technology becomes "bankable". The appropriate scale for a demonstration project will vary depending on the generation technology.
Renewable energy technologies for power generation that have already reached the stage of commercial roll-out are not eligible, unless the project is able to demonstrate significant innovation over the existing application of the technology.
Combinations of smaller projects which together serve to achieve the objective and outcomes of the program may also be considered."

My reading of that is that the technology has to be "proven at pilot plant scale". GDY have the completed proof of concept and the soon to be opened pilot plant, so, the way I see it, they are the only geothermal player that ticks all the boxes, more or less...?

I know most if not all other geothermal players in Aus have applied, but they don't have the pilot plant, so unless the government exempts them from this requirement how will they compete?

I also realise that in these processes the government reserves the right to change the rules, for example the broadband network process. So if there is insufficient take-up then maybe they will hand out grants to the less compliant responses. After all, they do want to fast-track the REDP grants.

I also note that wind is pretty much not likely to figure because of the line "renewable energy technologies for power generation that have already reached the stage of commercial roll-out are not eligible, unless the project is able to demonstrate significant innovation over the existing application of the technology" and I'm not aware of any wind innovation that meeets this criteria, but doesn't mean its not out there. From what I can tell BBW have not put in an application, presumable because of this.

Thoughts? Comments?

Good luck to all.

http://www.ret.gov.au/energy/Documents/Renewable%20Energy%20Demonstration%20Program/REDP%20Information%20Guide.pdf