Construction has begun of the initial stage of the 2MW CPV solar plant in Mildura, Victoria. The 2MW plant will serve as a form of demonstration facility for what the developers are planning could eventually be a 100MW solar farm by 2016. As equipment supplier to the facility, Solar Systems will provide its “Dense Array” CPV technology which is said to use triple-junction solar cells to yield a 40% conversion efficiency.
Funding of up to AUD$120 million for the Mildura project was given by the Victorian State and Australian Federal Government, subject to certain stipulations. The Mildura facility is located in Carwarp, around 40km south of Mildura, Victoria.
Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis
Photovoltaics International is now included.
- Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
- In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
- Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
- Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
- Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
- Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual
The 2MW demonstration facility is scheduled for completion in late 2012 and will see the installation of around 60 solar dish systems. Should this phase go according to plan, Solar Systems, a subsidiary of Silex Systems Ltd., will commence with the expansion of the facility to 100MW between 2013 and 2016.
Dr. Michael Goldsworthy, Silex CEO, commented on the news, “We are very excited about the commercial potential of this technology, which is expected to provide very low cost electricity from large utility-scale solar power station projects around the world.”
SilexSolar, another subsidiary of Silex Systems, suspended manufacturing at its Homebush Bay, Sydney facility in November last year.
