Norton Rose Fulbright has advised the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) on the latest project to reach financial close under ARENA’s large-scale solar (LSS) photovoltaics (PV) competitive funding round.

The firm advised ARENA on the funding agreement and all other aspects of the funding for the 48.5 MW Manildra Solar Farm located in regional NSW. The project, which received $9,810,000 of ARENA funding, was developed by Infigen and acquired by First Solar at financial close.

Norton Rose Fulbright global head of energy Simon Currie commented:

“ARENA's LSS funding round has been a major contributing factor to the rapid development of the Australian utility scale solar sector. Consumers will ultimately be the winners as solar energy will produce cheap electricity to meet daytime load.”

The Norton Rose Fulbright team was led by Simon Currie, supported by lead associate Tom Bramah, and partners Noni Shannon, Emanuel Confos and Michael McKee; senior associates Kelly Davies and Steven Choi; associate Catherine Ding; and lawyer Jacqueline Fetchet.

Our team is currently working on over 20 large scale solar projects across Australia. Our role on the Manildra Solar Farm follows our role advising Wirsol Energy Ltd on the acquisition and financing of the 57.5MW Whitsunday project (Queensland), the 57.5MW Hamilton project (Queensland), and the 50MW Gannawarra project (Victoria) that achieved financial close on March 10, 2017.