State owned enterprise Meridian Energy says its US subsidiary has commissioned its first solar power plant in California and connected it to the local grid.READ ALSO: Meridian buying Australian wind farm for $A191mThe 5 megawatt CalRENEW-1 facility i
State owned enterprise Meridian Energy says its US subsidiary has commissioned its first solar power plant in California and connected it to the local grid.
READ ALSO: Meridian buying Australian wind farm for $A191m
The 5 megawatt CalRENEW-1 facility is a solar photovoltaic power plant in Mendota, California, covering almost 20 hectares and using more than 50,000 individual solar panels.
The project was completed by Meridian subsidiary Cleantech America using Sharp Electronics Corporation solar panels. Meridian bought San Francisco-based Cleantech America for $US5.4 million last August and has been funding its growth and expansion in addition to the construction of CalRENEW-1.
Meridian chief executive Tim Lusk said emission-free electricity from the plant was being sold under a long-term power purchase agreement to local utility Pacific Gas&Electric.
CalRENEW-1 was the first utility-scale photovoltaic solar project to be approved by the California Public Utilities Commission under the state's Renewable Portfolio Standards programme, and was also the first photovoltaic solar power station to be connected to the grid of the California Independent System Operator, he said.
Meridian staff were heavily involved with the Cleantech America team in the project throughout construction and commissioning.
Guy Waipara, the leader of Meridian's international solar programme, said the commissioning of the plant was a major milestone in the company's programme to explore solar power.
Mr Waipara said Meridian was looking at solar opportunities in the Pacific Islands, where power systems are dominated by expensive diesel generation.
"The experience we gain from this involvement in the US will assist enormously with the options we are exploring in the Pacific and Australia, and ultimately of course we will be bringing the technology to the New Zealand market."
