U.S. based solar panel manufacturer Sunpower has announced the completion of Australia’s largest solar farm to use a solar tracking system.
The the 1-megawatt (MW) Uterne solar power plant in Alice Springs incorporates over 3,000 Sunpower solar panels installed on the company’s single axis T20 tracker system.
The T20 positions the solar panels to follow the sun throughout the day; allowing additional energy to be harvested – up to 30 percent more than traditional fixed systems states SunPower.
Electricity generated by the solar array will be bought under a solar power purchase agreement with the Northern Territory’s Power and Water Corp.
“We are proud to be among the first in Australia to use this technology on this scale, and to make the benefits of solar power available to all residents in Alice Springs,” said Andrew Macrides, Power and Water Corporation Northern Territory’s managing director.
According to SunPower Managing Director Bob Blakiston, the project demonstrates solar generation can be supported by a long-term power purchase agreement and Uterne sets a precedent for the development of similar facilities in Australia.
“Uterne” is derived from an indigenous term meaning “bright, sunny day” – and Alice Springs certainly sees plenty of those; averaging 9.6 hours of sunshine per day and just 63 cloudy days per year on average.
Alice Springs residents have been invited to attend an Open Day at the facility on Saturday 30 July from 11.00am to 1.00pm – a “once only chance” to tour Uterne.
The solar farm was constructed with the assistance of the Australian Government, which contributed $3.3 million to the $6.6 million renewable energy project.
Alice Springs is one of seven cities participating in the government’s $94 million Solar Cities initiative. Each participating city is acting as a testing ground for energy efficiency initiatives, the use of solar power and community education. The goal of the initiative is to help to determine how communities can decrease energy consumption and make better use of alternative, clean electricity generation such as solar panels.
