Origin Energy - Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy

Origin is active in the renewable energy arena. It has spent a number of years developing:

• Purchase contracts for the acquisition of electricity from Wind farms in South Australia and Victoria including the entire output produced by Pacific Hydro from the Challicum Hills wind farm located near Ararat and the Yambuk wind farm near Portland. Origin Energy is the largest buyer of wind energy in Australia. Origin does not hold any equity positions in Australian wind farms, although its partially owned New Zealand affiliate, Contact Energy, has equity in New Zealand wind farms.
• A solar energy business using solar cell technology invented by a team led by Professor Andrew Blakers at The Australian National University. Origin Energy expected to be manufacturing its sliver cell technology for the Australian market by 2008.
• Geothermal power, a technology based on the conversion of heat sourced from deep, hot rocks into electricity. Origin's geothermal investment is via a minority shareholding stake in the Australian company Geodynamics.