Hochtief lands solar EPC Australian contracts

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Hochtief lands solar EPC Australian contracts

A Hochtief subsidiary has won a design and build contract worth AU$117m (£56.5m) for two solar farms in Australia.

CIMIC Group company UGL has been awarded engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts to design and build two new solar farms.

The two EPC contracts – for the Collinsville Solar Farm in Queensland and the White Rock Solar Farm in New South Wales – will generate combined revenue for UGL of $117 million.

In addition, UGL will provide operation and maintenance (O&M) services at both solar farms.

CIMIC Group Chief Executive Officer Adolfo Valderas said: “With these contracts, UGL has been awarded a total of nine solar farm projects, making it one of the most awarded contractors for utility-scale solar projects in Australia.

“With such a diverse portfolio of solar projects, UGL is driving innovation and firmly positioned as the leader in the renewable energy market.”

UGL Managing Director Juan Santamaria said: “UGL’s early involvement with our customers, true end-to-end capabilities, and technical expertise are strong market differentiators.

“We have a proven track record in the design and delivery of solar farms, and this has been instrumental in securing these opportunities.

“We have established a national operational control and monitoring centre to support the company’s increasing portfolio of utility scale solar farm O&M contracts.”

The Australian Government, through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), a statutory authority established by the Australian Government, is contributing $60 million in finance to support the construction of the Collinsville Solar Farm.

Further, the Australian Government through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing $5.4 million funding to support the construction of White Rock Solar Farm and $9.5 million funding to support the construction of Collinsville Solar Farm.

At the Collinsville Solar Farm, UGL will supply Ratch Australia with EPC and testing, generating revenue of $83 million over 13 months. The contract also involves O&M services for five years. The project will diversify the Queensland power supply network and provide a major source of renewable energy for northern Queensland. The project is expected to generate enough energy to power 15,000 homes.

At the White Rock Solar Farm, UGL will supply Goldwind with EPC and commissioning, generating revenue of $34.2 million over nine months. It also involves O&M for two years, with a one-year extension option. The White Rock development is a pioneering hybrid solar/wind renewable energy facility for the New England Tablelands, expected to generate 46,000 megawatt hours of electricity, enough to supply the equivalent of 7,200 average New South Wales homes.

Source: www.hochtief.com

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.