Asia Pacific Solar PV News Snippets: Joint Venture For 400 MW Solar Farm In New Zealand & More
Meridian Energy and Nova Energy JV will implement the 400 MW solar project in New Zealand in 2 phases of 200 MW each. (Illustrative Photo; Photo Credit: Bilanol/Shutterstock.com)
400 MW solar plant in New Zealand: The state-owned electricity generator in New Zealand, Meridian Energy Limited has announced a joint venture (JV) partnership with Nova Energy Limited, an electricity retailer. The 50:50 JV will build and operate the 400 MW Te Rahui Solar Farm at Rangitāiki near Taupō. The $660 million project will reach a financial investment decision in Q1 2025. It is planned to be built in 2 stages of 200 MW each. Offtake will be shared between the duo equally.
Songyu equipment for SEG: US-based SEG Solar, which is building a vertically integrated solar PV industrial park in Indonesia, has contracted Songyu to supply its ALD equipment for the 5 GW project. This project will cover the entire industrial chain from silicon ingots, silicon wafers, solar cells and modules, which will be the largest such project in the country.
145 MW Philippines facility: Southeast Asia-focused and Singapore-based renewable energy platform Nexif Ratch Energy (NRE) has started the construction of a 145 MW solar PV project in the Philippines. The Bacolod Solar Farm is coming up in the Negros Occidental Province across Bacolod and Bago cities. Commercial operations are expected to begin by Q4 2025, said NRE which is majority-owned by Singapore’s Nexif Energy and Thailand-based RATCH Group.
Solar Power Plant
Lightsource bp is building its Goulburn Solar Farm and Woolooga BESS project in Australia’s NSW and Queensland, respectively. (Photo Credit: Lightsource bp)
585 MW under construction in Australia: British solar PV developer Lightsource bp has started the construction of its 585 MW DC Goulburn River Solar Farm in Australia. It calls the project one of the largest approved single solar farms in New South Wales (NSW) to reach this stage to date. It will produce close to 1.3 TWh of renewable energy annually. This was one of the winning projects under the country’s Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) (see Australia Selects Over 6 GW RE Capacity Under CIS Tender I). The company is also constructing its Woolooga Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Queensland with 128 battery units. It will be able to store up to 640 MWh of energy with an export capacity of 222 MW. This will be operational by mid-2026, it added.
Yongfu’s Indonesia project: China’s Yongfu Power has won a bid to build a 200 MW AC solar PV and 80 MW/80 MWh energy storage project in Indonesia. It will be located in the Morowali Industrial Park in Sulawesi. It won the project worth $140 million from PT Sumber Energi Surya Morowali. The project includes investment from SESNA of Indonesia and Sembcorp of Singapore.
Green education initiative in Thailand: Chinese companies JA Solar and Huawei have joined UNESCO and Thailand’s Ministry of Education to launch a green education initiative. The aim is to provide clean energy solutions and digital education opportunities to 11 schools and community centers at the Banna District Learning Encouragement Center in Nakhon Nayok Province. JA Solar has donated its high-efficiency n-type DeepBlue 4.0 Pro PV modules to multiple middle schools, helping it implement along with energy storage equipment. It also provided training to the teachers and students, educating them about clean energy application and management.