First Solar and GE Energy Financial Services are underway with
Australia’s first utility-scale solar power project. Output from
the 10-megawatt AC project on 80 hectares of cleared land 50km
southeast of Geraldton will contribute to offsetting the energy
requirements of the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant.
Western Australian state-owned power utility Verve Energy and GE
Energy Financial Services will each own 50 percent of the
Greenough River Solar Farm, with the WA Government providing A$20
million, including A$10 million from the WA Royalties for Regions
program. No debt will be raised to fund the project.
The WA Water Corporation, which is building the Southern Seawater
Desalination Plant, has committed to purchase 100 percent of the
solar farm’s output. It is expected to be fully operational
mid next year.
First Solar has agreed to supply the project with over 150,000 thin
film photovoltaic modules and provide engineering, procurement and
construction services, in addition to operations and maintenance
support once the solar farm is operational. The agreement is
subject to the satisfaction of certain statutory requirements.
Welcoming the go-ahead for this green project, Verve Energy Strategy
and Business Development Manager Tony Narvaez said: “The solar
farm is important for Verve Energy, for Western Australia and for
the local renewable energy sector. It enhances Verve Energy’s
reputation as a renewable energy innovator.”
“This announcement demonstrates the significant potential for
renewable energy generation – especially utility-scale solar in WA
and throughout Australia,” said Jim Brown, who will become
President of Utility Systems Business Group for First Solar,
effective Sept. 1. “We’re pleased to bring our expertise in
advanced PV technology and utility-scale solar deployment to Verve
Energy and GE Energy Financial Services to deliver this
groundbreaking project.”
For GE Energy Financial Services, the project represents its first
renewable energy investment in Australia, adding to its global
portfolio of more than US$400 million of solar power equity and
debt investments in 42 projects.
“This transaction enables us to apply our renewable energy investment
expertise to a new market, add to our portfolio of projects with
First Solar and to GE’s broader work with Verve Energy,” said
Jason Willoughby, GE Energy Financial Services’ Australia business
leader. “This project also will support GE’s ecomagination
program, in our aim to help customers meet their environmental
challenges.”
Providing clean, affordable and sustainable energy to partially power
the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant, near the town of
Binningup, the solar project is expected to create more than 50
construction jobs.”
Western Australia requires new desalination plants to use power
generated from renewable sources. The state’s primary supplier of
water, wastewater and drainage services, the Water Corporation,
will purchase the power generated by the solar farm for the
Southern Seawater Desalination Plant under a 15-year contract. The
plant will produce about 50 gigalitres of potable water per year.
The project will boost Western Australia’s share of the Federal
Government’s renewable energy target of 20 percent by 2020.