6 solar farms: Empowering Australia’s solar boom

Context

Australia is experiencing a significant surge in solar power capacity, with projections indicating a nearly twofold increase to over 12GW. As a pivotal contributor to this growth, Nexans has been instrumental in supplying specialized power cables for six – Kiamal, Susan River, Childers, Oakey II, Nevertire and Middlemount – solar farm projects in the states of Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales.

Challenges

The expansion of solar power infrastructure presents various challenges, including the need for high-quality, reliable power cables capable of withstanding environmental factors and meeting project specifications. Nexans navigates these challenges by providing specialized engineering support, ensuring compliance with standards and specifications, and offering innovative solutions to address unique project requirements.

Nexans implication

Nexans played a multifaceted role in the success of the solar farm projects:

1. Supplying specialized power cables: Nexans supplied medium voltage (MV) and low voltage (LV) direct current (DC) cables tailored for each project’s requirements. The scope of supply included a comprehensive range of Keylios products, such as underground 33kV cables, underground 1,500V low voltage cables, photovoltaic (PV) under-array cables, underground data cables, inverter to transformer connectors, communication, tracker controls, and associated accessories.
2. Providing engineering support: Nexans collaborated with solar farm EPC Contractors during the design stages of all six projects, offering specialist engineering support. This involved ensuring adherence to standards and specifications, as well as providing expertise in cable and system design.
3. Manufacturing and supply: The power and control cabling were manufactured and supplied by Nexans’ facilities in China and Australia. The company’s plants in Yanggu (China) and Lilydale (Australia), supported by Nexans Olex specialist manufacturing partners, facilitated the production and delivery of high-quality cables.
4. Innovation and sustainability: Nexans continues to invest in ongoing cable testing and innovation to meet the evolving requirements of Australia’s renewable energy projects. The incorporation of Nexans Olex EcoTerm™ solution in underground power cables demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainability by providing an effective barrier against degradation from termites.

The generating capacity of the six solar farms will total 672 MW, enough electricity to power over 600,000 homes. They were commissioned between 2019 and early 2020 and we are continuing to invest in ongoing cable testing and innovation to meet the requirements of Australia’s renewable energy projects.