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.

Context

In 2010, Nexans partnered with Schneider Electric to supply ENERGYFLEX® PV cables for a significant project in the Puglia region of Italy. The Cellino San Marco (CSM) Solar Plant, largest solar PV project in Italy at this time, involved the installation of 580,000 panels and aimed to generate clean energy for 18,000 households while offseting 28,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) per year.

Challenges

The project faced several challenges, including the need for cables with exceptional reliability, durability, and high performance for in-field connections between PV panels and inverters. Additionally, there was a tight delivery schedule of 2 ½ months.

Nexans implication

Nexans played a crucial role in meeting the project’s cable requirements and delivery deadlines. Our involvement included:

1. Supplying 1,000 km of cables, including 212 km of cable with a single 6 mm2 copper core and 804 km of cable with a single 10 mm² copper core. The cables comprise both standard ENERGYFLEX® and ENERGYFLEX® One Stripe featuring a colored red or blue strip for ease of identification.
2. Offering a fast response to meet the tight delivery schedule, demonstrating Nexans’ commitment to customer satisfaction, the cables were installed at the site between March and June 2010.
3. Supporting Schneider Electric in creating the underground cable network by supplying bare Nexans cable with a copper cross-section of 35 mm².

In 2010, the Cellino San Marco project, comprising 580,000 panels, is the largest solar photovoltaic project in Italy to have reached financial close.

Through its collaboration with Schneider Electric on the CSM Solar Plant project, Nexans demonstrated its expertise in providing reliable and high-performance cables for renewable energy installations. The successful completion of the project highlights Nexans’ commitment to sustainability and innovation in the energy sector.