Laing O’Rourke to commercialise movable solar-diesel system

UK engineering company Laing O’Rourke has set up a subsidiary, which will navigate the market rollout in Australia of its fully redeployable solar-diesel hybrid power plant with advanced control systems.

The array combines ABB (VTX:ABBN) microgrid solutions with SunPower Corp (NASDAQ:SPWR) photovoltaic (PV) panels. Thanks to the flexibility and mobility of the technology, SunSHIFT Pty Ltd can offer the systems under five-year agreements with rollover or buy-out options, or under upfront purchase deals with buy-back options, SunSHIFT general manager and Laing O’Rourke cleantech leader, Will Rayward-Smith, said.

In a press release on Friday, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) said it had supported both the feasibility study for the hybrid power installation and its latest demonstration project with AUD 410,000 (USD 314,200/EUR 274,900) and AUD 450,000, accordingly. The results of the six-month trial period of the most recent AUD-1.8-million demonstration scheme have proved the technical and commercial viability of moveable, modular renewable energy concepts, according to the agency.

“Scalability, quick set up and easy pack down presents an ideal solution for many off-grid applications where temporary power is required such as construction projects, mine sites and disaster relief,” ARENA CEO, Ivor Frischknecht, noted.

The first moveable utility-scale hybrid power plant, with a capacity of 1 MW, was installed and put into operation in just one week in March 2015. Laing O’Rourke is already receiving enquiries for multiple MW-scale SunSHIFT systems from domestic mining sites and remote communities, as well as from emerging economies abroad.

(AUD 1.0 = USD 0.766/EUR 0.670)

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