Norton Rose Fulbright has advised international solar energy company Wirsol Energy (part of the WIRCON Group) on the acquisition of the 110 MWp Wemen Sun Farm, Victoria.
 
To be built over an area of 770 acres, the Wemen Sun Farm is located close to Mildura in Victoria. Wirsol expects to commence construction of the project during the last quarter of 2017.

The acquisition increases Wirsol’s solar presence in Australia following its successful entrance into the Australian market with the acquisition of the 198MWp solar portfolio consisting of the Hamilton, Gannawarra and Whitsunday solar farms, which commenced construction in March 2017.

Wirsol is also working on a 400 MW large-scale solar development portfolio with Australian renewables developer, Renew Estate.
 
Norton Rose Fulbright global head of energy Simon Currie commented:
 
"Everyday we read about the energy crisis in Australia. Wirsol, on behalf of the WIRCON Group, is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in new generation assets. This investment will help drive down power prices and deliver to consumers the benefits of the low cost solar PV."
 
The Norton Rose Fulbright team included lawyers from our Sydney and Melbourne offices. Simon Currie led the team advising Wirsol, supported by partner Raymond Lou and associate Tom Bramah. Other team members included partners Noni Shannon, Justin Lucas and Elisa De Wit, senior associates Tatiana Gotvig, Jacqueline Plant and Nicole Bury and lawyer Jonathan Pham.
 
Our team is currently working on over 30 large scale solar projects across Australia. We recently advised Blackrock on the acquisition and financing of the 150MW Daydream project and the 50MW Hayman project that achieved financial close on August 10, 2017 and earlier this year we advised Enel Green Power and Dutch Infrastructure Fund (DIF) on the purchase of the 275 MW Bungala Solar PV project.