Astronergy wins bid for Chinese province’s first large, on-grid PV project

Hangzhou, China-based Astronergy said today it won the bidding process for a 2 megawatt rooftop photovoltaic project in the Hangzhou Energy and Environment Industrial Park, located in the Zhejiang Province.

It adds to a flurry of solar announcements this week in China, being spurred by government subsidies.

The project, which is being financed by China Energy Conservation Investment, marks the province’s first large-scale, on-grid photovoltaic plant. Financial details were not disclosed.

Astronergy said it plans to design and install the new project, to be completed by the end of September, with a combination of crystalline silicon-based modules and high efficiency tandem thin-film PV modules.

Founded in 2006, Astronergy produces second-generation amorphous silicon and microcrystalline silicon tandem junction thin-film technology.

In June, the company, a subsidiary of the Chint Group, launched its first 30 MW mass production line, which is expected to reach 1 GW production capacity by 2012 (see Astronergy secures $50M for PV manufacturing in China).

The Chint Group is a leading player in the low-voltage electrical, power transmission, and power distribution industries in China.

Started in 1988 by the Chinese government, China Energy Conservation Investment is focused on investing in energy-saving and environmental protection technologies and projects (see Carbon Trust launches cleantech exchange with China).

The industrial park is located in the northeast corner of Hangzhou city, covering 23.8 square kilometers (9.2 square miles). The park’s green science and technology hall as well as its energy conservation hall are expected to be among the first buildings to incorporate Astronergy’s building-integrated PV technologies.

Projects including this one are advancing in China because of the central government's “Golden Sun” project announced in July, aimed at financially supporting the development of the domestic PV industry in China. Under the policy, the government plans to subsidize at least 500 MW in various PV stations and projects in a two- to three-year timeline.

Earlier this week, Xinyu City, China’s LDK Solar said it plans to partner with the city of Yancheng, China, to develop 500 MW of solar photovoltaic projects (see LDK plans to develop 500 MW of solar for Chinese city).

Ontario’s Canadian Solar also obtained rights to build a 500 MW solar power plant in the Baotou National Rare-Earth Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, in Baotou, Inner Mongolia (see Canadian Solar secures rights for 500 MW Inner Mongolian solar plant).