NSW completes 600k solar panels in Broken Hill as ‘transition towards decarbonised economy’
New South Wales has accomplished the installation of the total of 677,760 solar panels on its large-scale solar plant in Broken Hill. The funding companies said the installation of new solar panels adds to the momentum that drives large-scale solar plants in Australia for a “decarbonised economy.”
The Broken Hill Solar Plant is currently generating up to 27 MW of renewable energy and is expected to generate 26 MW more energy this October. The project was funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, or ARENA, First Solar, a global provider of comprehensive photovoltaic or PV solar systems, the Australian energy company AGL and supported by the NSW government.
Acting ARENA CEO Ian Kay says that many Australian homes are already using energy from Broken Hill and its sister plant at Nyngan, and the company is aiming to encourage more investment to reduce finance costs and build robust supply chains. ARENA is also aiming for its $100-million large-scale solar round to “harness world-class solar resource” and double the capacity of Australia’s large-scale solar.
“Large-scale solar has a vital role to play in Australia’s energy mix,” Kay said. “There has been serious interest in the round. We look forward to taking strong proposals forward and building on the significant achievements of AGL, First Solar and others.”
The NSW Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy, Anthony Roberts, and NSW Minister for Environment and Heritage, Mark Speakman, attended the installation of the solar panels on Monday.
The Broken Hill and Nyngan solar plants will play an important role in the goal of transition towards a decarbonised economy, said AGL Executive General Manager Group Operations, Doug Jackson. Broken Hill Solar Plant is expected to provide more than 1,900 MW of renewable capacity in the future.
Broken Hill and the Nyngan solar plant are the two largest utility-scale solar plants in Australia that have been opened in 2015, according to Jack Curtis, First Solar’s regional manager for Asia Pacific. “First Solar’s delivery record has set an industry benchmark and this milestone reaffirms the prominent role utility-scale solar PV will continue to play in Australia’s energy future,” he said.
The application of the construction knowledge from the Nyngan solar plant has helped to build large-scale solar projects easier, Kay said. “ARENA has shared a myriad of knowledge throughout the construction of both plants, from how to most effectively procure equipment to managing local supply chains.”
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