Solar Systems brings Mildura CPV demonstration facility online

April 15, 2013
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Solar Systems, an Australian concentrating PV (CPV) systems manufacture, has announced the operational start up of its Mildura solar demonstration facility in Mildura in the Australian state of Victoria.

According to Solar Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Silex Systems, the grid-connected facility represents the largest CPV solar power plant in Australia. The facility will be used to demonstrate the company’s proprietary Dense Array CPV solar conversion system.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

When fully operational, the system will have a capacity of 1.5MW and will generate enough electricity to power up to 500 homes. All electricity generated by the plant will be sold to Diamond Energy after signing a power purchase agreement on 17 December 2012.

The Mildura demonstration facility and its associated product development programme has received strong financial support from the Victorian state government with a A$10 million (US$10.4 million) funding package while the Australian Federal Government has also provided additional financial support.

As part of the next phase of the project, the company will expand the facility to 100MW with construction expected to commence in late 2014 though this is subject to the successful operation of the demonstration site.

Silex CEO Dr Michael Goldsworthy said: “The commencement of operations at our Mildura demonstration facility is a significant milestone in the commercialisation of Solar Systems’ unique Dense Array CPV technology. The first array consisting of 10 dish systems has been successfully commissioned and is operational, with the remaining three arrays of 30 dishes to be brought online progressively over the next few weeks.

“We are very excited about the commercial prospects for this technology, which will potentially provide very low cost electricity from large utility-scale solar power station projects planned for deployment around the world.”

Solar Systems is also building another CPV demonstration facility at the Nofa Equestrian Resort near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 1MW plant is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year and will represent the first offshore demonstration facility using Solar Systems’ Dense Array CPV dish technology.

Read Next

October 15, 2025
Wood Mackenzie has warned of a supply bottleneck as the renewable energy shift drives a spike in global copper demand over the next decade.
October 15, 2025
The average price of a solar PPA signed in North America increased 4% between the second and third quarters of 2025, according to LevelTen.
October 15, 2025
A report by IRENA and others has highlighted the need for yearly renewable energy deployments to almost double between now and 2030.
October 15, 2025
Independent power producer (IPP) Geronimo has begun construction on it’s150MW solar project in Illinois and commissioned the 125MW PV project in Michigan.
October 15, 2025
Ciel & Terre has launched a new floating PV structure designed to address the increasingly large scale of floating solar projects.
October 15, 2025
Indian module manufacturer Saatvik Green Energy, through its subsidiary Saatvik Solar Industries, has secured solar PV module orders worth INR6.89 billion (US$78 million).

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK