Public and private investors in the $420 million Carwarp development, now on hold due to the Solar Systems Ltd collapse, say their money remains committed to Mildura.

“The science hasn’t changed, just the name of the company who will deliver it,” a company spokesman said.

Premier John Brumby this week said Victoria’s $50 million was still committed to the development of a large-scale solar project at Mildura and the Federal Government also says its $75 million also “remains on the table”.

TRUenergy, the Australian subsidiary of China Light and Power, which was the major private backer of Solar Systems, also said this week it would still contribute funds to the Mildura project.

A supplement to The Australian newspaper on “clean energy”, published yesterday, said: “TRUenergy says its commitment to contributing funds to the Mildura development remains in place subject to the successful delivery of the pilot plant and other milestones being achieved”.

Fears remain that Solar Systems’ technology will be sold overseas but the newspaper’s supplement said the failure of the 154MW Mildura project had been politically sensitive for the Federal Government in particular.

With $125 million available for a new company to continue with the Mildura project, it is still hoped it will reach those milestones and produce a two megawatt pilot plant from its photovoltaic array at Carwarp within 15 months.

For more of this story, purchase your copy of Friday’s Sunraysia Daily 20/11/2009.