Doubt cast over solar power trial.


Conservationists say it will take more than a solar power trial to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Australia.
Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane has announced Townsville as the nation's next solar city.
A total of $30 million will be spent trialing solar power in homes and businesses in Townsville, Thuringowa and Magnetic Island over the next seven years.
North Queensland Conservation Council coordinator James McLellan says the scale of the proposal does not match the rate of population growth in Queensland.
"The main issue that we need to keep firmly in mind is the amount of energy savings or greenhouse reductions that we're going to get out of this project will be swallowed up over and over again by continued population growth," he said.