Queensland

With its high wholesale power prices, attractiveness to capital, wide open spaces and abundant sunshine, there is every reason to believe Australia is a PV project developer’s nirvana. However, as the wreckage at the 55 MW Oakey 2 site in Queensland reveals, challenges under the Australian sun should not be taken lightly.

A $280 million meat production recently unveiled by Hilton Foods Australia in south-east Queensland, is sporting one of the country’s biggest rooftop solar arrays.

The 72.5 kW curved-roof solar installation will generate almost half of the Noosaville Library’s electricity needs. The flexible panels used for the installation are manufactured by Dr Shi Zhengrong’ firm SunMan.

In a matter of weeks, Brisbane’s Calamvale Central will become the first facility in Retail First’s privately-owned shopping centre portfolio to be powered by rooftop PV. More installations are expected to follow.

The Kidston solar-pumped hydro project is back on its feet after Japanese utility J-Power and Genex Power renegotiated their deal with the extension of funding provided by the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Board earlier this month. The project had been thrown off-course after a shock decision by EnergyAustralia not to finalise a purchase agreement.

The University of Queensland’s Warwick Solar Farm has won a coveted green award as the unique project nears completion.

The Sydney-based developer has received credit approval to fund two of its solar projects. The announcement comes only days after Genex resumed trading on the Australian stock exchange in the wake of the Northern Australian Infrastructure Fund’s decision to extend offer of funding for the 250 MW Kidston pumped storage hydro project.

In late 2016, Queensland’s Labor Government revealed a plan for 50% of the State’s electricity to be renewably sourced by 2030, and the state has made significant steps toward that goal.

After Genex Power’s offtake agreement with EnergyAustralia fell through earlier this month its concessional federal funding lapsed. However, the Project has secured an extension into 2020, hopefully allowing it enough time to restructure and reach financial close.

One of Australia’s largest solar farms, APA Group’s 110 MW (AC) Darling Downs Solar Farm has officially opened after significant delays resulting from grid connection issues and last-minute changes of engineering and construction partners.