A consortium of energy developers have signed an agreement to build a 25.88 MW solar PV plant in Japans Iwate Prefecture.
Led by German EPC Conergy in what will be the developers largest project in Japan to date the solar farm will be constructed in Ichinoseki, with investment from Global Power Synergy Public Company Limited (GPSC), which is a subsidiary of Thailands state-backed fossil fuel firm, PTT Public Company Limited (PTT).
Further backing comes via Girana Anuman-Rajadhon, owner of GA ECO Group, but it is the PTT subsidiarys involvement that is most noteworthy, marking a Thai foray into Japans solar market and a step into clean energy for the gas and oil giants.
The completed solar farm will be 99% owned by GPSC, while Mr. Anuman-Rajadhon will have the option to sell his 1% share in the project. Conergy will construct the plant and offer its O&M expertise once completed, the company confirmed.
Due to the increased scarcity of available land for solar development in Japan, Conergy Japan KK was tasked with identifying ways to develop this mega-solar project across 35 hectares of challenging terrain.
The land is a former cattle ranch site that presented a series of difficulties to Conergys technical team, which employed geo-spatial technology to map out a suitable installation plan. Conergy worked closely with landowner Earth Factory KK to finalize the plants layout and thus satisfy investors.
"I am pleased that we have reached an agreement on this PV power project with GPSC," said Conergy Japan MD Hideyuki Otaka. "We are proud to have been retained in the Ichinoseki project as the construction partner and EPC service provider, having successfully developed the project from its beginning to the point of ready-to-build and financial close."
Otaka added that Conergy Japan is seeking further EPC opportunities in the Japanese solar market, while GPSC president Toemchai Bunnag added: "The project is the first that the company, as the power and utility flagship of PTT Group, has started investing outside Thailand and AEC. The project has proceeded quite well, with 32% of the site preparation work done, which is earlier than expected. As a result, the solar farm is due to start selling power by the fourth quarter of 2017."
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