First Solar Awards Major Supply Contract to IXL Group

First Solar, Inc. has awarded a contract to the IXL Group of companies based in Geelong to manufacture and deliver the framing system for the 155 MW (AC) utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects at Nyngan and Broken Hill in New South Wales. AGL engaged First Solar to construct the solar projects which are expected to produce approximately 360,000 megawatt hours of electricity each year – enough to meet the needs of more than 50,000 average homes in NSW.

In 2012, IXL successfully manufactured and delivered the framing system for the 10MW Greenough River Solar Farm (GRSF) in Western Australia, which was also constructed by First Solar. Until now, GRSF was the largest solar project completed in Australia. IXL has been able to benefit from the experience with this first project to provide First Solar a cost effective Australian manufactured framing capability with a relatively shorter supply chain. The framing system for the Nyngan and Broken Hill projects will require approximately 6000 tons of Australian made steel.

“First Solar selected the IXL Group for this important contract because of the company’s proven experience and reliability in successfully delivering the framing system for the Greenough River Solar Farm,” said Jack Curtis, First Solar’s vice president of business development for Asia Pacific. “Our continued selection of local supply chain providers validates the economic viability of producing solar components in Australia and will continue to help support Australian industry and job creation. Partnering with IXL will further enable First Solar to reduce the cost of delivering solar power to the Australia market through the efficiencies that come from working on multiple projects.”

“This is a very important step in the development of our solar business,” said Claude Dagescy, general manager IXL Solar. “We look forward to working with First Solar on the Nyngan and Broken Hill projects and beyond, and believe that Australian made framing systems can be more than competitive with imports.”