Simec Energy Australia has secured a partnership agreement with Shanghai Electric for the development of the 280 MW Cultana solar farm Whyalla. Under the partnership, Shanghai Electric will provide engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services to the project, with the project expected to create 350 jobs during construction.
The EPC contract announcement follows the selection of Wuxi Suntech as the supplier of more than 880,000 solar panels to be installed at the site. Simec Energy chooses to use solar modules from Wuxi Suntech for the 280MW Cultana solar farm it plans to build near Whyalla, along with a 100MW battery, and an associated pumped hydro storage facility.
Simec Energy Australia is part of Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance, an international business group that is revitalizing steel manufacturing facilities in Whyalla, South Australia.
Sanjeev Gupta’s Simec Energy intends to invest AUD1 billion (US$697 million) in clean energy projects including solar and pumped hydro projects, with the AUD350 million (US$244 million) Cultana solar farm representing the first stage.
