Epuron, SunPower to expand Aussie solar farm to 4.1 MW

Aug 5, 2014 - Australian renewable energy firm Epuron said Sunday it has chosen US-based SunPower Corp (NASDAQ:SPWR) to add 3.1 MW of capacity by 2015 to the 1-MW Uterne solar plant in Australia.

The capacity is given in direct current (DC).

The Clean Energy Finance Corp (CEFC) has provided a USD-13-million (EUR 9.7m) loan to Epuron for the new installation. Local utility Power and Water Corp, the one buying the output of the existing 1-MW solar system under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA), has agreed to also purchase the output from the new 3.1-MW plant.

SunPower, which provides solar products and services, will design, build and provide the panels for the new part of the facility and will also be responsible for the operations and maintenance. The plant, located in Australia’s town of Alice Springs, will be able to generate enough electricity to power 1,000 local households after the expansion.

The 1-MW Uterne plant was also designed and constructed by SunPower. It was hooked to the grid in June 2011. Epuron, which focuses on developing utility-scale solar and wind projects, acquired it in the autumn of 2012.

(USD 1 = EUR 0.745)

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