http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com/renewable-energy-news/by-technology/solar-by-technology-renewable-energy-news/hyundai-heavy-industries-wins-solar-contract-beats-chinese-competitors.html
Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy industries (HHI) has won a $700m deal to build solar projects for US-based renewable energy project developer Matinee Energy, beating European and Chinese competitors.
By the end of 2012, it will build two solar power plants with outputs of 150MW and 25MW respectively, in Dragoon and Cochise counties in Arizona, US.
HHI has been in talks with Matinee Energy over the potential 175MW contract since March, securing the contract over other manufacturers in Europe and China.
Currently in the process of expanding its solar cell and module facilities in order to increase its annual production capacity to a target capacity of 600MW, HHI hopes that completing the project will establish it as an integrated solar power system provider.
‘By successfully completing this project HHI will be recognised as an integrated solar power system provider who can not only make certain components but build large scale solar power plants. This will lead to further solar power plant orders from different regions such as Europe and Asia,’ said HHI COO Kim Kwon-tae.
HHI will supply the entire solar power systems, incorporating design, manufacturing, installation and testing services, under the engineering procurement and construction contract.
The company will manufacturer the solar power systems in its Eumseong plant in South Korea.
The deal is part of Matinee Energy’s plan to build solar power plants that generate a combined 900MW in the California and Arizona regions of the US.
In August Matinee signed a pre-master agreement with Korean solar integrator K&C Company for the construction of a 40MW solar plant in California for up to $200m.
HHI previously acquired a solar module certificate from US-based safety approval organisation Underwriters Laboratories last June. It claims to be the only company in South Korean that can produce entire solar power systems including producing polysilicon, solar cells, and solar modules.