New 500kW Hybrid Solar Farm to Help Power Vava’u, Tonga

BRISBANE, Australia - May 21, 2013 - PRLog -- The first solar panels are now in place at the site of a new 500 kilowatt (kW) hybrid solar farm on the Island of Vava’u in Tonga.

The solar farm incorporates ground-mounted photovoltaic panels and battery storage technology that is fully integrated with the island’s diesel power station.

It will produce enough energy to cover about 13 percent of Vava’u’s annual electricity demand and up to 70 percent of the grid demand during peak hours.

The project is being developed by Abu Dhabi based renewable energy company Masdar and is financed through a grant provided by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.

Ingenero General Manager of Generation Rodger Whitby said the project would generate significant cost and carbon emissions savings for the Vava’u community.

“The completed solar farm will generate enough power to offset as much as 70 percent of the island’s electricity demand during times of peak generation at noon,” Mr Whitby said.

“This will represent one of the highest penetrations of solar to diesel for a hybrid solar farm anywhere in the world,” he said.

“It will also form an important reference site for similar opportunities in the Pacific and remote Australian mine sites that run on diesel generators.”

International solar developer Ingenero won the contract to construct the solar farm in 2012 after a competitive 6-month tender process administered by Masdar.  

Construction began in March 2013 and is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

For more detailed information about the Tonga Hybrid Solar Farm download Ingenero’s fact sheet here http://www.ingenero.com.au/case-studies.

Media Enquiries

Christa Cowell

0408 206 558

christa.cowell@ingenero.com.au

About Ingenero

Ingenero is an Australian leader in the delivery of solar energy for residential, business and government customers. Ingenero has simplified the way customers can lock in lower, long-term rates for electricity through innovative financial products such as solar leasing and Solar Power Purchase Agreements. Ingenero also provides ongoing monitoring and maintenance services.

As a company Ingenero has:

• Constructed Australia's largest ever rooftop solar PV system at the University of Queensland in Brisbane

• Recently completed a solar installation at the Queensland University of Technology including three solar trackers nine floors above ground and flat panels spanning four separate rooftops

• Installed the Southern Hemispheres' largest SolFocus CPV solar power array at Alice Springs Airport

• Completed an iconic solar installation at the Araluen Arts Centre in Alice Springs

• Helped over 700 Australian schools install solar power

• Pioneered the use of Solar Power Purchase Agreements for commercial and industrial customers in Australia

• Completed the 1000 solar roof challenge on the Sunshine Coast in conjunction with the Sunshine Coast Environment Council.

• Pioneered the use of remote monitoring with the introduction of our EcoWatt performance monitoring system.

• Completed the Fraser Coast Community Solar Farm, the largest solar farm to date in Queensland.

You can find out more information about Ingenero at our main website http://www.ingenero.com.au