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http://www.newenergyworldnetwork.com/renewable-energy-news/by-technology/solar/tenesol-completes-largest-ground-mounted-pv-installation-in-pacific-region.html

Total and EDF subsidiary, solar power provider Tenesol, has finished building the first ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) system in the Pacific island of New Caledonia, a French colony located east of Australia.

The new large-scale Helios Bay plant covers 17,000 square-metres, and is the first ground-system of its size in the entire Pacific region, including Australia, according to Tenesol.
The plant will act as a pilot project for the New Caledonia region, which is exploring alternative energy solutions for its remote locations.
Located on the coast near the region’s capital of Nouméa, the 2.1MWp plant has almost 10,000 solar panels and can generate three million KWh of electricity per year.
The plant owner, Helios Bay, commissioned Tenesol to build and manage the system on a turnkey basis, which was finally connected to the grid in May.
‘Our goal was to find a partner capable of managing all phases of the project, from manufacturing right through to maintenance, to avoid any nasty surprises,’ said Olivier Charles, co-manager of Helios Bay.
‘Tenesol has a long history in New Caledonia and is a major player in the PV sector. And it is one of the few companies we found that could handle all aspects for us, from designing the PV solution through to the production of modules. This gave us the confidence to invest.’
Tenesol has operated in New Caledonia, which has low levels of rainfall at less than 80mm per year, for 20 years through its subsidiary in the island’s capital, creating the island’s first PC installation on a toll station in Tina three years ago.
General manager for Tenesol’s New Caledonia division, Emmanuel Vincent, said, ‘Ground-mounted systems present unique challenges for reliable and timely construction, particularly when located near to a coastline.
‘We are hoping its success will act as a catalyst for further developments.’
The plant includes a novel anchoring system that was developed to address the rough topography in the area and preserve the local land, which the company plans to deploy at further sites in the Pacific island region, such as Mayotte and Martinique. It is also equipped with monitoring tools, a weather station and carbon dioxide measuring system, through which Tenesol will monitor local data.
Energy produced by the on-grid system will be purchased by Enercal, New Caledonia’s main electricity supplier.