Silex Systems (ASX: SLX) has begun operation of Australia’s largest concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) solar power station in Mildura, northwest Victoria.
The grid-connected facility will be used for the demonstration of wholly owned subsidiary Solar Systems’ proprietary Dense Array CPV solar conversion system.
When fully operational it will have a capacity of 1.5 megawatts – enough to power up to 500 average sized homes.
The first array consisting of 10 dish systems has been successfully commissioned and is operational, with the remaining three arrays of 30 dishes to be brought online progressively over the next few weeks.
The technology is being prepared for commercial deployment in the burgeoning global utility-scale solar power station market which is forecast to grow rapidly over the next decade.
Advantages of this technology include the use of advanced “triple junction” solar cells currently capable of operating at over 40% conversion efficiency – about double the efficiency of today’s best silicon-based cells, and the use of active cooling to maximise power output and lifetime performance from the solar cells.
A commercial power purchase agreement for power offtake onto the local Mildura grid was signed with Diamond Energy in December last year.
The Mildura Demonstration Facility and associated product development program has received strong financial support from the Victorian Government via a $10 million funding package.
It has also received additional financial support from the Australian Government.
The planning phase for the next stage, the 100 megawatt Mildura Solar Power Station Project, continues with construction expected to begin late in 2014.
Construction of a 1 megawatt demonstration plant at the Nofa Equestrian Resort near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia continues, and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2013.
Silex held around $72 million in cash and cash equivalents at the end of December 2012.
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