Review on renewable energy potential in Australian subtropical region (Central and North Queensland)

In Australia the future demand for energy is predicted to increase rapidly. Conventional energy resources, soaring prices and environmental impact have increased the interest in renewable energy technology. As a result of that the Australian government is promoting renewable energy such as wind, geothermal, solar and hydropower. These types of energy are believed to be cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Renewable energy availability is controlled by climatic conditions such as solar radiation, wind speed and temperature. This paper aims to assess the potential of renewable energy resources, in particular wind and solar energy in an Australian subtropical region (Central and North Queensland) namely, Gladstone, Emerald, Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Townsville, and Cairns. Analysis is done by using the latest statistical state of Queensland energy information, along with measured data history of wind speed, solar irradiations, air temperature, relative humidity, and atmospheric pressure for those sites. This study has also shown that national assessments of solar and wind energy potential can be improved by improving local climatic data assessments using spatial databases of Central and North Queensland areas.