Solar thermal giant SolarReserve has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Heliostat SA to build 12,800 tracking mirrors for the planned 150 MW Aurora Solar Project.
Under the deal, Heliostat SA will use its expertise in automotive manufacturing to supply and assemble SolarReserve’s SR96 heliostat concentrators.
Heliostats are large tracking mirrors used in concentrated solar thermal stations. They follow the sun throughout the day, concentrating sunlight precisely onto a central receiver.
The receiver contains molten salt, which when heated by the heliostats, creates steam to drive electricity turbines.
The 150 MW Aurora project will use nearly 13,000 heliostats, resulting in almost one million square metres of surface area.
Each SR96 heliostat assembly includes 96 metres of polished glass, plus steel supports and also electric drives.
Heliostat SA: return of manufacturing to South Australia
Heliostat SA is a South Australian company and part of the Fusion Renewables Group, comprising the University of South Australia, Fusion Capital and Precision Components.
After the collapse of South Australia’s car industry, Heliostat SA was a result of Precision’s need to diversify its manufacturing capabilities.
The company has already manufactured hundreds of heliostats for projects overseas. However, the Aurora project is set to be its largest undertaking yet.
The deal could see 200 jobs created in the state directly as a result of the deal between the two companies. These include 115 unique skilled manufacturing positions related to steel components and heliostat assemblies.
The two companies are detailing an agreement on achieving as much local content and labour as possible. In a statement, SolarReserve said construction of Aurora at Port Augusta would deliver 650 on-site jobs. This is in addition to 4,000 direct and indirect jobs in the region.
Solar plant to add photovoltaic power for increased energy
The Aurora project is being developed with the option to add solar photovoltaic technology to maximise power generation. The addition of solar panel arrays would ensure supply during peak periods, along with meeting the station’s own electricity needs.
Adding PV would also broaden the scope of Heliostat SA’s manufacturing supply chain. It would then include racking and supports for solar PV systems.
