Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited announced today the official opening of its Australian operations in Sydney.

Yingli Solar’s new Australian office, located at Jones Bay Wharf, Pyrmont, was opened today by New South Wales Government Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy Rob Stokes and Yingli Solar Vice President, Judy Lee.

Commercial Director, Daman Cole, will lead Yingli Solar’s business in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. In addition to establishing Yingli Solar’s business, Mr Cole will support industry partners and projects and grow Yingli Solar’s presence in this region.

Mr Cole said, “Yingli Solar is a world leader in providing highly efficient solar electricity, delivering excellent cost savings on electricity bills for our customers. Our solar panels offer superior energy yields at affordable prices providing a great return on investment. We have already established a pathway for further expansion through the City of Sydney, our first major customer in Australia, and today we are announcing a new distribution agreement with L&H Solar + Solutions, a subsidiary of L&H Group, the largest electrical wholesaler in Australia and New Zealand.”

The City of Sydney is set to deliver Australia’s largest collective building-mounted PV solar program featuring approximately 5,500 Yingli Solar panels installed on 30 major buildings, including grandstands, depots and libraries. This project will yield a total electrical capacity of more than 1,250 kilowatts (kW). The City of Sydney’s installation is managed by installation partners Solgen Energy and other key customers that are currently rolling out installations of Yingli Solar panels include a 70kW project by Marquis Bathroom Products in Port Stephens, NSW.   EnviroGroup have also completed installations of a 90kW ground mounted project at Balgownie Estate in Bendigo, Victoria, a 135kW project at Monash University in Frankston, Victoria and a 60kW project at the Monash Business Incubator at Mulgrave, Victoria. 

Ms Lee said, “Australia has established a strong reputation of being at the forefront of adopting solar photovoltaic technologies in the Asia Pacific region.  By having a direct presence in Australia, we are tapping into a market that has strong growth potential and a mature view and understanding of solar energy.”

Yingli Solar has also announced today that it has entered into a distribution agreement with L&H Solar + Solutions, a subsidiary of L&H Group, the largest electrical wholesaler in Australia and New Zealand. L&H Solar + Solutions will distribute Yingli Solar’s flagship PANDA monocrystalline PV products, as well as its high-end polycrystalline YGE PV products through its network of more than 160 outlets and over 2,000 installers across Australia and New Zealand.

Ms Lee added, “Having a presence in Australia and an alliance with L&H Solar + Solutions not only allows us to better serve our residential and commercial customers, it also means that Yingli Solar is ready to support further expansion into the commercial and utility markets as large scale solar photovoltaic installations become more commercially viable in Australia.”  

Yingli Solar is renowned for the efficiency, quality and affordability of its PV panels. Established in 1987, its vertically integrated production factory in China has delivered more than 26 million panels or the equivalent of over 6 gigawatts (GW) of solar energy to homes, businesses and utilities in more than 40 countries.

NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy, Rob Stokes said, “This is great news for Sydney and great news for NSW’s growing reputation as a leading centre in the Asia-Pacific for energy technology and services.”

“The latest IBIS report on Renewable Energy in Australia shows NSW is home to around 45 percent of renewable energy companies in Australia.”

“Yingli’s decision to locate their new Australian office in Sydney is yet further confirmation of our strong investment appeal for the international renewables sector.”

According to the recently released Climate Commission report on Australia’s solar energy future, the Australian solar PV market which is currently at approx. 2.4GW will be producing 29% of the country’s electricity by 2050.