Mixed Greens: Oz group to develop big solar in Indonesia

A consortium of Australian companies comprising The Solar Guys International and Mitabu Australia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government of South Sumatra to develop megawatt-scale solar power projects. The projects, to be installed under SGI-Mitabu’s “One Solar Watt Per Person” program – which aims to deliver one watt of solar power for every man, woman and child in Indonesia – will range from 5MW to 50MW. The agreement will see the solar companies and the South Sumatran government jointly build, own and operate the plants.

The site for the 5MW installation has already been secured, while the 50MW installation will reportedly feature a “first-of-a-kind design” acting as both “tourist attraction and local employer.” SGI-Mitabu director Dane Muldoon described Indonesia as ideal for solar energy infrastructure projects, due to both an excellent solar resource and support from the federal and provincial governments. “The South Sumatra government is exhibiting great vision in taking a leadership position in the development of  megawatt scale solar power projects,” Muldoon said. “There’s clearly a great interest in developing clean, low-cost solar power projects in South Sumatra and Indonesia more broadly. We’re excited to get started.”

In other news…

ASX-listed Silex Systems says its world-leading laser uranium enrichment technology has moved a step closer to commercialisation, having passed the first phase of development after three years of testing. The company said the completion of the Test Loop Program at a US facility owned by Global Laser Enrichment – the consortium of GE, Hitachi and Cameco to whom Silex sold the technology rights in 2006 in exchange for milestone payments and royalties – marked a crucial point for the development of a “cheaper, cleaner and more efficient method of uranium enrichment than gas diffusion (1st generation) and centrifuge (2nd generation).” For this milestone, Silex will receive $US15 million. Testing has now moved to Phase 2 – economic and engineering validation for commercialisation. Phase 3 will involve construction of the world’s first third-generation uranium enrichment facility in Wilmington.

Investment giant Goldman Sachs has announced plans to invest as much as ¥50 billion ($US487 million) in renewable energy projects in Japan in the next five years, tapping demand for solar- and wind-generated electricity. Bloomberg reports that the Wall Street firm also plans to take as much as ¥250 billion of bank loans and project-financing over the same period to move ahead with projects that would cost a total of ¥300 billion. “We believe that we can leverage our global expertise in investing in renewable energy in places such as the US and India, to help expand Japan’s renewable power capabilities,” Ankur Sahu, co-head of the merchant banking division in the Asia-Pacific, said by e-mail.