SinAn: the largest PV system in Asia

24 MW SinAn, Korea

After just 14 months of construction time and $150 million, Conergy successfully completed the construction of what is currently Asia’s largest photovoltaic plant six months ahead of schedule. The estimated peak power output of the project is 19.6 MW. The installation is located in the South Korean city of SinAn, southwest of the capitol, Seoul. Commissioned by the Dongyang Engineering & Construction Corporation, Conergy set up the plant as a turnkey solution and brought it online six months ahead of schedule. Dongyang has re-engaged the Hamburg-based solar energy company to expand the power generation capabilities to total 24 MW. Conergy Project Engineers plan to complete this phase by the end of 2008.

230 experts have been working around the clock since mid-May 2007 on the 150 acre construction site in SinAn to erect this Korean lighthouse project. While the second phase of this project is completed, the 19.6 MW plant is completely on grid and producing 27,000 MWh of clean electricity each year. – enough energy for more than 6,000 households. At the same time SinAn is saving 20,000 tons of CO2 annually.

Jihun Kim, CEO of Conergy Korea commented, "The construction of what is currently Asia’s largest photovoltaic plant is pioneering for the renewable energies industry in our country. With its completion we are ringing in a new era of Korean energy supply." The government in Seoul created the prerequisites for this in 2002. Since then, Korea has been seen as one of the large growth markets for renewable energies in Asia. In 2007 alone, 134 solar energy systems were connected to the public power grid – compared to 2006 this represents a growth of 163%. In total, up to the present day, more than 160 MW of solar energy has been installed in Korea, now including "SinAn" as a milestone among the large projects.

8.4 MW Trier, Germany

Conergy, one of the leading suppliers of products and solutions in the field of solar electricity generation, completed work in Trier (Rhineland-Palatinate) on what is currently the third largest thin-film solar park in the world. On behalf of Stadtwerke Trier (SWT), the solar concern built the fully equipped photovoltaic park, with a total peak output of 8.4 MW, after only six months of construction. Upon completion of the last segment, the solar power plant was able to be completely installed into the electrical grid. Capital expenditure for the megawatt project amounts to around 30M euros.

"We're very happy about the project's quick realization and we're proud that our plant is producing environmentally friendly electricity for homes in Trier" said Rudolf Schöller, the project manager at SWT who was responsible for the solar park. "Considering the great demand, we hadn't expected to obtain all the modules by year's end" stresses Schöller. The solar park was completed by Conergy in record time and has already been locked into the grid at the lucrative feed-in tariff of 35.49 cents per kilowatt hour - an attractive rate that the park operators will enjoy for over 20 years.

Conergy experts installed over 112,500 thin-film modules, supplied by the firm First Solar, across an area of 250,000 square meters. These were arranged atop 40,000 mounting systems, of the Conergy Solar Linea model, and linked to 28 inverter modules of the Conergy IPG 300K series. Effective immediately, the plant will produce annually over nine million kilowatt hours of clean electricity -enough to supply over 2,400 four-person homes all year around. And in the process, operation of the solar park will conserve 100,000 tons of CO2 over 20 years.

"The project shows that power supply companies have now discovered photovoltaics for themselves" says Conergy Deutschland Managing Director Jochen Kirmaier. He goes on to explain: "In light of the current capital market crisis, solar energy has now become a safe and sought-after investment. In addition to the attractive feed-in tariffs, these are, above all, qualitatively premium solar power systems". Conergy has designed and built large-scale photovoltaic plants for over ten years and for the fifth straight year has received the TÜV (German Technical Inspection Authority) Rhineland seal of approval for its products and services. Conergy’s utility customers benefit above all from its vendor independence: The company is fixed to no particular module technology and can provide the appropriate photovoltaic solution to meet every demand within the field of thin-film and crystalline technology.

21.1 MW El Calaveron, Spain

El Calaverón, with a total energy output of 21.1 megawatts is one of the world’s largest solar power plants is located in the sunny region of Castilla-La Mancha. The project stretches over an area of 247 acres. Up to 96,000 polycrystalline solar modules, which are installed on double-axis tracking systems from Conergy, will produce roughly 40,000 MWh clean electricity annually to approximately 12,500 households. In addition, the power plant will save 39,000 tonnes of environmentally harmful CO2gas. Conergy was commissioned by its sister company Epuron with the delivery, installation, operation and management of the solar systems. In mid-2008, the power plant was connected to the public power grid in Spain and ownership of the turn key plant transferred to investors. The company was able to secure the current feed in tariff of 45.51 Eurocent per kilowatt hour of generated solar power. The construction time was less than one year from ground-breaking to interconnection.

1.14 MW Saint Aunes, France

The Saint Aunes PV power plant near Montpellier in the Mediterranean region of France is a brilliant use of space and design aesthetic to create a power-generating parking “umbrella” at a public shopping mall. In addition to power generation, the solar umbrellas provide protection from sun and rain, increasing the comfort of the center’s visitors year round.In addition to generating electricity, the system is generating a lot of interest! It is the first of its kind in France, but inquiries about the project suggest it will be a model for similar systems. The wood laminate frames are cantilevered over the parking spaces. The 5,472 polycrystalline modules were mounted using a custom application of Conergy’s Solar Delta mounting system to produce an integrated effect. This was particularly important because France’s Feed-in Tariff pays higher rates for integrated systems. The system was completely installed and interconnected in less than 8 months. The system has an estimated annual energy production of 1.42 GWh, enough to power approximately 400 French households. The benefit to the environment includes reduction of more than 20,000 of greenhouse gases over the first 25 years of the system.

9 MW Germany

In 2004 and 2005, Conergy installed one of the world’s largest solar roof projects at four sites belonging to the Michelin tire company. A grid connected peak output of 4,000 kilowatts was fi rst installed at the sites in Landau (Rhineland Palatinate) and Homburg (Saarland). In 2005, a further 5,000 kilowatts were connected to the grid at the facilities in Bamberg (Bavaria) and Bad Kreuznach (Rhineland-Palatinate). On a total surface area of more than 200,000 m², Michelin now produces more than eight million kilowatt-hours per year. This is an investment which not only generates profits but also benefits the environment: the system meets the entire annual electricity requirements of 1,800 four-person households.

2 MW Thuwal, Saudi Arabia

11.12.2008

Conergy Asia-Pacifichas been awarded a contract for a 2-megawatt solar power plant for Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Conergy Asia-Pacific is awarded this prestigious project under a consortium agreement with Saudi-based National Solar Systems, a leading solar systems integrator in the Kingdom. Under the agreement, Conergy will manage the design and components supply, while installation and operational management are implemented by National Solar Systems.

Located in Thuwal north of the city of Jeddah, the landmark project is managed by the oil giant, Saudi Aramco on behalf of the Saudi Government, and is being executed by several large construction contractors including Saudi Oger who is managing the photovoltaic portion of the KAUST project. The scope of work consists of two rooftop solar plants with an output of 1-megawatt each, to be installed on the North and South Laboratories of the University. The photovoltaic plant, valued at 11.3 Million Euros, is also the first large-scale solar project of its kind in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It will occupy 11,577 square meters of roof space and produce 3,332 megawatt hours of clean energy annually, while also saving up to 1,666 tonnes of yearly carbon emissions. This equates to carbon offsets for approximately 11,758 million kilometers of air travel.

“With its arid climate and vast desert landmass, Saudi Arabia is geographically optimal for harnessing solar power,” explained Florent Abadie, Director, Development and Technology Asia-Pacific at Conergy. “We commend the Saudi authority’s remarkable support for cleantech development and inspiring commitment to renewable energy, which we are witnessing in the Kingdom’s leading policymakers and decision-makers.”

Currently, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s population is estimated at 27 million with energy demands growing at an annual rate of 5%. Despite being an oil-rich export economy for decades, the introduction of alternative energy could create significant value for Saudi Arabia’s energy landscape, by ensuring sustainable opportunities for diversified economic growth. “The solar park at KAUST will run completely without a feed-in tariff. Decreasing prices for solar components as well as high irradiation in our region have made PV become more and more competitive. Thus, we strive to be one of the first states to reach grid parity for PV systems in the Middle East. As a market leader and major player in the renewable energy business, Conergy Asia-Pacific will play a key role in responding to the GCC’s growing demand for solar and wind energy. The cooperation between Conergy and National Solar Systems for KAUST and other future projects is aimed at realising the synergy and complementing the knowledge and expertise of the two partners,” Abdulhadi Al-Mureeh, Director, Business Development of National Solar Systems commented.