Suntech will supply 9.43MW of solar panels and technical support for the second phase of a 44MW solar power plant in Thailand.
The solar plant, owned by Bangchak Petroleum Public and integrated by Solartron Public, will be one of the largest in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
In August 2010, Suntech was selected to provide 34.5MW of solar panels and technical support for the project’s first phase.
The ground work for the plant is currently underway and is expected to come on stream in late 2011.
Power from the facility will be purchased and distributed by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) under long-term power purchase agreements.
Bangchak Petroleum Public President Anusorn Sangnimnuan said that the solar project represents the beginning of its THB15bn initiative to develop around 140MW of installed solar capacity in Thailand.
The plant could annually reduce the need to import about 40,000t of coal and mitigate 32,000t of CO2 emissions, and aid Thailand in its goal of meeting 20% of its total energy consumption needs with renewable sources by 2022.
