The $2.9 million, 290 kilowatt (kW) Carnarvon Solar Power Station is connected to Horizon Power’s network and will produce 500,000 kW hours annually.
It is the first power purchase agreement-supported solar power station in Western Australia.
The Carnarvon Solar Power Station incorporates an advanced supervisory control and data acquisition system to allow remote power quality monitoring and output scaling by Horizon.
The project includes two mounting systems for photovoltaic (PV) panels, and 48 fixed frames of Australian design that each support eight 250 watt panels from LDK Solar, of the LDK 250D type.
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A further 98 kW of PV is mounted on seven Mecasolar single-axis tracking frames.
Engineered to withstand Category D cyclonic conditions, these rapidly-deployable PV support structures allow a modular and scalable solution. Inverters for the project are from SMA.
The project was supported by the Federal Government via the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program, which is administered in Western Australia by the Department of Finance – Public Utilities Office.
After an eight-week construction period, the station was commissioned on time and $500,000 under budget, according to project developer, owner, operator and construction contractor Energy Made Clean.
The station was constructed at the site of a former rubbish tip.
Energy production at Carnarvon commenced in February 2012 under a 25-year agreement with Horizon.
The project is the first of a staged roll-out of 50 megawatts (MW) of solar power stations by Energy Made Clean across Western Australia. The construction application for the company’s next project, a 2 MW station in Moora, is being prepared for lodgement.
Project details
Project name: Carnarvon Solar Power Station
Location: Carnarvon, Western Australia
Nearest capital city: Perth
Demographic: Rural
Construction contractor, owner and operator: Energy Made Clean
Capacity: 290 kW
Commissioned: December 2011
Capital cost: $2.9 million
Panel manufacturer: LDK Solar
Number of panels: 1,160
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