Conergy has been commissioned to build a unique heart-shaped solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in a French overseas territory.
The 2 MWp project will be built for TIEA Energie, a subsidiary of beverage firm Froico SA in New Caledonia, 750 miles east of the Australian Gold Coast. Conergy will carry out engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) in partnership with local contractor AMBI Energy, with work starting in the coming months.
The shape of the plant was inspired by the Coeur de Voh, an area of nearby wild mangrove that has naturally taken the shape of a heart. The facility will be built on a four hectare site in the northern community of Pouembout, on Grand Terre, New Caledonia’s largest island.
It will feature 7888 solar panels and will be completed in the first quarter of 2015.
"Conergy builds all kinds of solar plants in challenging places and conditions, but we’ve never been asked to do one in the shape of a heart, or any other shape before," said David McCallum, MD of Conergy Australia. "The Coeur de Voh is an important landmark for the people of New Caledonia, and shows just how extraordinary nature can be.
"The "Heart of New Caledonia" solar plant will be its man-made double, a landmark for clean power generation, showing that we can add new power plant wherever it’s required, and still keep a lid on carbon emissions. It will also probably be the world’s first beautiful PV plant, and perhaps the first beautiful power station of any description, anywhere on the planet."
