The Limondale Solar Farm will deploy German power electronics, with SMA Solar Technology AG announcing that it had picked up the supply contract for the 349 MW project. German EPC Belectric Solar and Battery GmbH selected SMA, in what the inverter maker has described as “another milestone on the road to securing SMA’s outstanding position on Australia’s booming market”.
The vast project is being developed by German renewables utility spin off innogy SE. First ground works on the project were commenced in September.
SMA will supply its 1,500V Medium Voltage Power Stations (MVPS) 5500 units to the project. The MVPS combines two Sunny Central 2750-EV inverters with a transformer and switchgear – in a single container.
“It’s easy to transport and can be quickly installed and commissioned,” said SMA utility Executive Vice President Boris Wolff, in a statement. “The high power density and compact container design also reduce the plant’s operating costs. In addition, the SMA Power Plant Controller ensures flexible farm control in the 1,500 V PV power plant.”
1,500V power plant architectures have become more commonplace in recent years, due to the reduction in BOS costs the high-powered solution can deliver. Belectric is recognized as being the first solar EPC to deploy 1,500V PV power plants.
“Australia is a highly promising market for the further expansion of our world-leading position as an EPC provider,” said Martin Zembsch, Belectric MD in a statement. “For the implementation of our largest project ever in Australia, we are relying on the high dependability and availability as well as the outstanding cost-efficiency of SMA’s system solutions.”
Before 2018, Belectric had developed three projects in Australia – with a combined capacity of around 20 MW. It now can boast of a pipeline of 460 MW in the country, through its partnership with innogy.
The Limondale project is expected to be completed by mid-2020. SunPower will deliver around 872,000 of its Chinese-made, 19% P-Series modules to the project. Module shipments will commence in January 2019. Downer Group is taking the lead on its construction.
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