Canadian Solar has partnered with Signal Energy to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for ESCO Pacific's 175MW Finley solar farm in New South Wales, Australia.
Image: Canadian Solar to provide EPC services for Australian project. Photo: Courtesy of RK008/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Canadian Solar said that this solar farm will be built on 1,000 acres of land near Finley, New South Wales. This plant will include more than 490,000 of Canadian Solar’s 1500V KuMax modules (CS3U-P), which will be installed on single-axis solar tracking systems.
Signal Energy Australia is the EPC contractor for the solar project. When completed, the solar plant will generate enough electricity to be supplied to 90,000 Australian homes, while avoiding more than 400,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
Canadian Solar chairman and CEO Shawn Qu said: “We are delighted to be selected by ESCO Pacific to provide EPC services together with Signal Energy and to supply our 1500V crystalline module to this large-scale solar power plant. This partnership further expands our presence and solidifies our competitive position in Australia.
“We are committed to providing customers in Australia and around the world with access to clean, affordable and reliable solar energy.”
Construction of the project began last December and it is expected to complete in October this year. Total cost of the project is expected to be A$170m ($119.32m).
Under a long-term renewable energy power purchase agreement (PPA), the Finley Solar Farm will supply renewable energy and green certificates to BlueScope Steel for a 7 year term.
Signal Energy president Greg Pawson said: “We are excited about establishing ourselves in the Australian renewable energy market. Signal Energy has had great success in the United States by creating value for our customers through optimization and execution of their solar projects, and leveraging our experience internationally has proven to make a lot of sense.”
Last November, John Laing, an investor and manager of infrastructure projects, acquired 100% stake in the solar plant from ESCO Pacific.
This is John Laing’s second investment in the solar sector in Australia and will for part of a larger renewable energy portfolio that includes investments in the Kiata Wind Farm (VIC), the three stages of the Hornsdale Wind Farm (SA) and the Sunraysia Solar Farm (NSW).