Excellent post Wotcopper. That has been my thinking as well....

Excellent post Wotcopper. That has been my thinking as well. Just didn’t have time to write the detailed explanations.

I appreciate Terry Kallis’ forthrightness in explaining his intentions, but then again what else can he do? He had run out of repetitive news some time ago and there were few strings left to pull. It must be most frustrating to see the $62.5 M REDP grant awarded just melting away, like an ice cream in your hand that you can’t lick.

Everyone now readily acknowledges that $7M GDP grants were unrealistically small.

He is making application while the ERP still has money in it and while it has specific descriptions for geothermal still attached. Almost nothing to lose now, after all, what can you do with a single well? It is a good working well and has a very prospective natural fracture. I think this will all sit very favourably with the awarding committee.

However, the big question remains, will the government require the usual $2 for $1 contribution or just $ for $? Could it be even more generous on a once only basis or possibly even provide a soft loan? Governments are supposed to protect the public purse by just providing enabling incentives. It certainly would be in the government’s interest to see PAR 3 drilled and connected with PAR 2 before end 2013. It doesn’t want to be accused of all shadow plays on renewable energy.

ARENA also needs to justify its existence by supporting a substantial project that has a rapid prospect of success.

Juke