Belectric completes second solar farm, plans two more

Germany solar and storage developer Belectric says it plans to complete two more solar farms in Australia by the end of the year, after finishing a 4.77MW solar plant at Goondiwindi , Queensland, using a new, low cost installation system.

Belectric, now part of Innogy, an offshoot of German energy giant RWE, said on Tuesday that the Chillamurra solar plant has been built and will be commissioned this month, using a system called PEG that it says reduces supply, transportation and installation costs.

Another two solar farms, a 10.8MW system at Barcaldine in Queensland, also developed by YD Projects, and a  3.3MW system at Dareton in NSW, developed by a German investor, are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Belectric’s first solar farm, a 3.2MW system near Mildura, was completed in 2014, and other solar farms are also in the pipeline.

It says that the PEG sub-structure system uses only 0.7 hectare per megawatt, making it attractive for “behind-the-meter” installations for large energy users who have limited space available for solar farms.

“The PEG system’s simplicity and the cost-effective material supply and installations were clearly demonstrated during the Chillamurra Solar Plant,” said YD Project sales director Glenn Clark in a statement. “We believe the system has a great potential in Australia.”

The PEG system installed at Goondiwindi is fixed-tilt, and located about 80cm above ground. It says it offers significant capex cost savings.

The first PEG system was installed in Africa and the first PEG project in America will be installed later this year.