Contractor Würth Solar commissioned the Farsala solar power plant on December 2010. Since January 4, 2011, this open space system, built as a turn-key facility, has been supplying electricity to the Greek grid. It has now achieved its full load capacity of 5MW. The electricity output of the Farsala plant covers the annual energy requirements of more than 1,600 Greek households. Whilst, at the same time, about 3,700 tons of CO2 emissions are saved per year.
The solar power plant in Farsala is one of the largest open space systems in Greece, extending over an area of 99,960 square meters. The system consists of a total of 21,274 polycrystalline silicon modules that cover an area of 34,900 square metres. In constructing the plant, 122 kilometres of solar cable and five kilometres of medium voltage power lines were installed.
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“The greatest challenge involved in the construction was bypassing a 400 KV high voltage power line that extended over the entire site,” explains Patrick Metzger, manager of the solar power plant division at Würth Solar. “With the open space system in Farsala, we have expanded our activities in the area of solar power plants. At the same time, we are already planning and constructing more plants in Greece.”
Since 2004, Würth Solar has been active in the area of solar power plants and in recent years, the company has put numerous large open space systems totaling around 100MW into operation. Last year the company gathered this expertise together into the solar power plant division.
In June 2010, Würth Solar was awarded the IEC 61646 (International Electrotechnical Commission) certificate for its comprehensive frameless GeneCIS module system and Starfix I Frameless substructure.
The owner of the park is Heliogenesis S.A., headquartered in Athens and has developed the project throughout the licensing, financing and construction phases. Heliogenesis Farsala project was financed through a syndicated, non-recourse, bond loan agreement arranged by Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW). Heliogenesis S.A., belongs to a group of affiliated companies in Greece that is currently developing an additional 106 MWP PV portfolio, expected to start construction in 2012.
Another turnkey company, RenApps, has also invested in the area. It has completed the construction of a 1MWp PV park in the Zapeio area near Farsala, Greece. The system comprises of panels by Solarworld AG, inverters by SMA Solar Technology AG and aluminium fixed structures by HILTI International. The PV park is ready to be connected to the grid.