The New England Solar Farm is being developed by leading renewable energy developer UPC\AC Renewables Australia across two solar fields near Uralla in the New England region of NSW.
The solar farm will be built in two stages, with the first 400MW (AC) stage and the 33/330 kilovolt (kV) substation being installed by Green Light Contractors, across the northern section of the site.
Once fully constructed, the project is expected to produce 1,800,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean, renewable electricity each year; enough to power more than 250,000 typical NSW homes.
The design and planning of this farm allows for sufficient space for sheep to graze freely between the rows of solar panels installed on a single axis tracking system.
Three years of preparation
Juan Miguel Gutiérrez, director of Ingeteam Australia Pty Ltd., stated that "the signing of this contract represents the culmination of almost three years of long, hard work by an extensive team of professionals, not just from the sales department but also from the R&D department". He went on to emphasize "the importance of the work carried out by colleagues in the pre-sales team, the PPC team and the team developing the simulation models, which are critical elements for the grid studies required by Australia’s grid operator".
For this first stage, Ingeteam will supply seventy-two 6.56 MW power stations, delivered as a turnkey solution in order to facilitate and minimize the installation and commissioning tasks. Specifically, each power station houses four 1.64 MW solar inverters, the power transformer, medium voltage switchgear, auxiliary services panel, auxiliary services transformer and UPS. Furthermore, Ingeteam will also supply two of its power plant controller (PPC) systems.
Ingeteam second leading solar inverter supplier in Australia
The signing of this contract serves to strengthen Ingeteam's position as the second leading manufacturer of solar inverters in the Australian market, thanks to numerous solar farms equipped with Ingeteam technology, such as the 56 MW Moree Solar Farm, which was also constructed by Green Light Contractors Pty Ltd., and which went into operation in May 2016.
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The manufacture and delivery of the equipment to be supplied by Ingeteam will be undertaken in the second half of 2021 and the commissioning of The New England Solar Farm project is estimated to start in the first quarter of 2022.
“We are looking forward to working with INGETEAM in what is called to be the biggest solar farm in Australia” said Carlos Miralles, GLC´s EPC Director.
Ingeteam supply for the project
288 central solar inverters with 1500V technology. The inverter model is the INGECON SUN 1640TL B630.
Seventy-two 6.56 MW Full Skid power stations, fitted with all the equipment required for low to medium voltage conversion (solar inverters, transformer and MV switchgear, LV panel, auxiliary services transformer, etc.).
Two INGECON SUN Power Plant Controller (PPC) systems. (hcn)
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