Phoenix Solar launches Australian subsidiary

Germany's Phoenix Solar today announced the inception of its wholly-owned Australian subsidiary, Phoenix Solar Pty Ltd.

Headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia, the Australian subsidiary is expected to replicate and build up the business model of the parent company with the two segments of power plants and wholesale business for photovoltaic systems, modules and components, according to the company.

In addition to subsidiaries in Spain and Singapore, last week the Sulzemoos, Germany-based company announced the formation of a wholly-owned Greece subsidiary, Phoenix Solar E.P.E.

The company named Christian Bindel, a Phoenix Solar engineer since 2003, as the manager of the newly formed Australian unit.

Together with Desert Knowledge Australia, Bindel has reportedly initiated the first project in Australia, which is a ground-mounted PV power plant built with thin-film modules from Phoenix, Ariz.-based First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR).

A second project, with an expected peak output of 10 kilowatts, is a PV system to be mounted on the roof of the German School in Sydney.

Phoenix Solar said it anticipates installation of the project in September under the Solar Roofs Program, which is run as part of the Renewable Energy Export Initiative organized by the German Energy Agency.

Australia's first PV feed-in tariffs are expected to come into force in South Australia this month, while states like Queensland and Victoria have already published their own draft feed-in laws.

At the federal government level, PV is receiving subsidization support which is aimed at households, schools and municipalities.

Australia has committed itself to generating 20 percent of its power consumption from renewable energies by 2020, with PV set to play an important role.

Including its subsidiaries, Phoenix Solar employs 170 people.