Construction World February 2015

ENVIRONMENT

HUGE PRIESKA SOLAR PROJECT

The PV power plant has a total gener- ation capacity of 86 MW. Financial close was achieved on 11 December juwi Renewable Energies, the South African subsidiary of the international juwi group, is to build the Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska PV solar park in the Northern Cape Province for Independent Power Producer (IPP) Sonnedix. >

“We are also very pleased that our efforts in designing the economic development aspects of the project brought the desired outcome”, Austin continues. Of all six projects in bidding round three, the Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska PV solar park had the highest economic development score. juwi will also provide Operations and Maintenance services for the plant. Commentingontheclosing,FranckConstant, president of Sonnedix said:“This first closing in South Africa is a considerable milestone for our company. It confirms the growth strategy and added value of Sonnedix in new markets where clean renewable electricity is in high demand and cost effective compared to conventional power.” Olivier Renon, Sonnedix South Africa country manager, adds: “We are happy to be working with juwi, one of the world’s most experienced EPC providers in the field of renewable energies to build our solar park. We feel confident that our project construction is in very good hands.”

2014. The commencement of construction is scheduled for the first quarter of 2015. For the juwi group, the utility-scale project in the Northern Cape is the company’s largest single solar EPC-project in the world. juwi is also providing operation and maintenance services for the plant. “We are proud to realise this milestone project and delighted to be playing a key role in adding substantial amounts of clean energy to the South African electricity grid,” says Greg Austin, juwi South Africa managing director. Over the past years, juwi Renewable Energies has realised four utility-scale PV projects in South Africa and has built up a substantial reputation as a leading specialist for green energies in the country. The Prieska project was selected by the Department of Energy of South Africa under the third bidding window of the Renew- able Energy Independent Power Procure- ment Programme (REIPPP) in October 2013.

Greg Austin, juwi South Africa managing director.

About juwi Renewable Energies

juwi Renewable Energies is a full-ser- vice partner in all aspects of project development. It plans, constructs, and operates renewable energy power plants with a particular focus on the wind and solar energy sector in South Africa. The company’s vision is that of 100% clean energy, security of supply, and independence from energy imports. Its network of international investors and a proven track-record across the globe are some of the keys to its success.

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SOLAR MILESTONE First Solar announced recently that it has achieved 10 gigawatts (GW) of photovoltaic (PV) solar capacity installed globally, making it the first thin film PV module manufacturer in the world to achieve this milestone.

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The announcement was made at the start of the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, where First Solar was showcasing a comprehensive range

of solar energy solutions. Founded in 1999, First Solar made its first commercial shipment in 2002 and, since then, its advanced thin film modules have been used in a wide range of applications, from kilowatt-scale mini-grid and rooftop applications, to multi-megawatt utility scale solar energy plants. With enough modules installed worldwide to circle the planet three-and-a-half times, First Solar’s 10 GW of installed capacity produces an estimated 14 000 gigawatt hours (GWh) a year. This is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of the Kingdom of Bahrain or the city of Washington DC. It is also sufficient to power five million average households and displaces the need for as many as 20 average coal-powered plants. “This is much more than just a celebration of First Solar’s track record, and the trust that our customers have placed in our technology,” said James Hughes, chief executive officer, First Solar, Inc. “Thanks to our commitment to continuous improvement, we have been able to contribute towards the global transition to renewables by offering

our customers solutions to their, very specific, energy challenges.” Significantly, with the smallest carbon footprint of all solar technologies, First Solar’s installed capacity displaces an estimated seven million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, or the equivalent of planting 180 million trees. Additionally, with the lowest water use on a lifecycle basis, the use of First Solar’s advanced thin film modules helps displace an estimated 18 billion litres of water per year; sufficient to fill 7 000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

CONSTRUCTION WORLD FEBRUARY 2015