Press Release
Sumitomo Electric Starts Operation of Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) Power Generation Pilot Plant in Australia
January 25, 2017
Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have completed construction of a concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) power generation pilot plant in Australia and started its test operation.
Pilot plant test facility (CPV)
A state of Queensland in Australia has built an extensive power network to cover its vast land area. This significantly increases the state's burden of shouldering power transmission costs, thus creating high demand for distributed power generation systems. Furthermore, people in Australia have become more aware of the need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels as part of their efforts to make their society more environmentally friendly. Under these circumstances, the Queensland government has been staging a campaign to promote the use of renewable energy sources. In that sense, the country stands at the forefront regarding mega-solar power generation.
The country has large areas receiving high levels of direct solar irradiation, making it well suited to use Sumitomo Electric's CPV systems, which are advantages to high-radiation and high-temperature environments. In view of such weather conditions, the state of Queensland aims to raise the rate of power generation from renewable energy sources from the current 4.4% to 50% by 2030.
In November 2016, Sumitomo Electric concluded a contract with QUT regarding the joint operation of a CPV pilot plant, while receiving support from the government of Queensland. Based on the contract, Sumitomo Electric and QUT have constructed the CPV pilot plant at a state research facility in Redland and started its test operation. A ceremony marking the completion of the pilot plant was held on January 25, 2017, attended by over 50 representatives from Queensland government, QUT and Sumitomo Electric.
The test operation will run for two years, focusing on the measurement of total power generation and evaluation of possible economic effects of CPV.
Sumitomo Electric will continue to propose solutions for power generation and electricity storage to support Australia's efforts to promote power generation from renewable energy sources.
The completion ceremony
