First Solar to Launch 48.5 Megawatts Manildra Solar Farm

First Solar, Inc. has announced that a financial close has been reached for the Manildra Solar Farm in New South Wales. First Solar will leverage their expertise in utility-scale solar development to deliver the 48.5-megawatt project.

This will utilise about 466,000 First Solar thin-film PV modules and single-axis tracking technology that is expected to reduce more than 120,000 megawatt-hours of electricity in its first year of operation. The Manildra Solar farm will take First Solar’s installed capacity in the country to more than 400 megawatts once completed in 2018.

The Manildra Solar Farm received a funding grant of $9.8M from ARENA. First Solar has entered into a 13-year power purchase agreement with EnergyAustralia for the generated power and large-scale generation certificates.

Once completed, the farm is expected to produce enough solar energy to serve the needs of approximately 14,000 average New South Wales households and displace more than 91,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

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