Sungrow to Supply Inverter Solutions to 500 MW Solar Plant in Oman

Sungrow will supply 1500V SG250HX inverter solutions to the 500 MWac IBRI II project in Oman, which is the largest utility-scale solar plant in the Sultanate to date.

Sungrow, a leading inverter solution supplier for renewables, has announced that it will supply 1500V SG250HX inverter solutions to the 500 MWac IBRI II project in Oman, which is the largest utility-scale solar plant in the Sultanate to date, demonstrating the Company’s robust efforts in supporting Oman’s ambition of lifting the renewable energy mix by 10 percent. The delivery of inverter solutions will commence in Q2 this year.

The IBRI II PV project is an Independent Power Project (IPP) to be developed on a BOO (build, own, operate) basis. The USD 400 million project was funded on a debt to equity ratio of 70:30 and a consortium consisting of ACWA Power, Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) and the Alternative Energy Projects Company (AEPC) has achieved the financial closure of it recently.

The project is expected to come online in the summer of 2021, barring aside any potential COVID-19 related considerations. It will supply clean power to state-owned utility Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) under a 15-year contract. The plant can generate roughly 1,300 GWh annually, which is enough to power an estimated 33,000 homes and offset 340,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

The project is located in a desert around 300 km west of Muscat with ample sunshine and abundant flat land. The system poses strict requirements on a minimised LCOE with cutting-edge PV technologies and the resilience to harsh conditions like high temperature and sand corrosion. Sungrow’s SG250HX, one of the world’s most powerful 1500V string inverters, to be installed onsite is an ideal match for the project. The solution features 12 MPPTs with maximum efficiency of 99 percent and enables flexible block design allowing for up to 6.75 MW blocks. Compatible with bi-facial modules and tracking systems, the solution can significantly maximise ROI for a PV project.

The improved Power Line Communication (PLC) will decrease installation costs without excessive communication wiring. Equipped with 24-hour Static Var Generator (SVG) function, the solution can provide an instantaneous and effective response to power quality problems, enabling improved power system stability, reduced energy losses, and complying with most demanding local power quality standards and grid codes, saving approximately USD 1,143,000. Particularly with IP66 and C5 protection together with the smart forced air-cooling technology, the 250 kW inverter can operate without derating even the ambient temperature is up to 50 degrees Celsius, strongly resilient to scorching deserts of Oman.