Solar Systems (company)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Renewable energy, Solar power |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Defunct | 2015 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Concentrated solar power facilities |
Solar Systems was an Australian enterprise that developed three concentrated solar power facilities in remote Indigenous communities within the Northern Territory. Utilizing 30 solar concentrator dishes, these installations generated and each year. The power stations were situated at Hermannsburg, Yuendumu, and Lajamanu, collectively conserving 420,000 litres of diesel fuel and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 1550 tonnes.
The company's inaugural concentrator dish power station was completed in 2003 at Umuwa, South Australia. In recognition of its engineering achievements, Solar Systems received an Engineering Excellence Award in 2005.
The Mildura Solar Concentrator Power Station project launched in 2006 targeted the construction of a solar facility, with anticipated completion set for 2013. Nevertheless, Solar Systems entered voluntary administration on 7 September 2009, placing the Mildura project and approximately two-thirds of its employees at risk.
In 2011, Silex Systems purchased Solar Systems for $2 million. The existing power stations were subsequently transferred to electrical utility companies under previously arranged purchase agreements. Silex finalized a 1.5 MW demonstration plant by April 2013 but discontinued the initiative in August 2014 due to depressed wholesale electricity prices, insufficient governmental backing for renewable energy, and uncertainties surrounding Australia's Renewable Energy Target (RET). By September 2015, Silex ceased operations of Solar Systems' dense array solar power division.