GameChange Solar to team up with Bison Energy in Australia
Published Date : 2024-April-30, Tuesday
Solar tracker and fixed tilt racking technology supplier GameChange
Solar signed a MOU with solar farm developer Bison Energy for the two companies
to work collaboratively to bring five solar projects, totalling over 125 MW
capacity, to the Australian market.
As part of the agreement, GameChange Solar will supply its
Genius Tracker™ product to Bison Energy’s development projects located in New
South Wales and Victoria.
Japan-headquartered Bison is currently constructing the 4.95
MW Bostock Creek Solar Farm, located near Cobden in Victoria in the Corangamite
LGA.
In addition, Bison has a portfolio of solar projects ranging
from sub 5 MW, utility-scale solar projects from 30 MW up to a new 1 GW project
in NSW, and standalone BESS projects ranging from 5 MW to 100 MW with a mix of
2-4 hours storage.
Bison’s 60 MW/240 MWh Bairnsdale BESS project in south-east
Victoria is nearing the final connection approval stages, and will be built on
a 3-hectare site in the East Gippsland region.
In New Zealand Bison has the 37 MW Somerton Solar Farm under
development south-west of Christchurch.
Bison Energy’s Australia and New Zealand Country Director
Brendan Murphy said, “We are thrilled to partner with GameChange Solar. Mark
Legge and his very experienced technical team have been instrumental in
supporting Bison to date through one of our current Victorian projects which is
under construction.
“The racking industry is a tough one, but GameChange Solar
has managed to find a niche in the market with its efficient pre-assembling and
speed clamping designs which the Bison Energy engineering team is very
impressed with. In commercial terms, these types of designs save us on install
costs, which in the current environment means everything.”
GameChange has been operating in Australia for the past four
years, with Country Manager – Australia/New Zealand Mark Legge taking up his
role around 18 months ago.
Mark is based in Newcastle, NSW where GameChange has its tracker
training centre, and other engineering staff are located in Sydney. The company
plans to appoint further design, engineering, and field support/commissioning
personnel next year.
GameChange delivered the 107 MW solar component of Iberdrola’s
Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park project in South Australia, completed early
this year, and Bostocks Creek is its first tracker project.
Mark said that GameChange was also actively working on
project tenders and looking to support the market in New Zealand.