Chinese solar module manufacturer Suntech Power is providing PV modules to the 30MW Aura Solar I project in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Owned by Corporacion Aura Solar, the project, being built on a 100-hectares site, will feature 132,000 Suntech Ve and Vd polycrystalline modules with single-axis trackers.
Portugal solar developer Martifer Solar is responsible for providing EPC and O&M services for the project, which is being developed by Gauss Energia; Martifer Solar began construction of the plant in January 2013 and expects to complete in August 2013.
The project will generate 8 GWh of electricity annually, which is enough power an estimated population of 164,000 and reduce over 60,000 tons of CO2 emissions.
The project will supply its electricity to the Olas Altas substation managed by Mexican federal power company Comision Federal de Electricidad under a 20-year power purchase agreement.
Mexican local development bank Nacional Financiera (Nafin) and the International Finance Corporation jointly financed 75% of the project cost, which is estimated to be around $100 million.
Gauss Energia CEO Hector Olea said, "Aura Solar is the first project of a larger initiative that aims to become a platform to develop utility-scale PV facilities in Mexico. With Mexico’s solar potential expected to reach around 2,000 MW by 2020, Aura Solar has broken ground in the PV sector, and it is paving the way for future projects in the field. We are quite satisfied to have worked with Suntech and Martifer on this project."