Nine (9) Solar Stories | Green Energy News

March 8, 2007 – Vol.11 No.50

NINE (9) SOLAR STORIES.

The Solar News Inbox is overflowing. Time to clean it out.

--- Silicon Valley Solar (SV Solar), of Santa Clara, California, expects to eventually receive a 10-megawatt order from Conergy for its Sol-X2 internal concentrator solar modules. But Conergy, a leading solar and renewable energy provider in Europe in the process of gaining a foothold in the US, will test the product first. Silicon Valley Solar has received an order from them for a multi-kilowatt system to evaluate. In the contract Conergy will also collaborate on engineering and share performance data with SV Solar.

SV Solar says its first generation product, the Sol-X2, uses 50 percent of the silicon solar cells for the same amount of electric output for its module power generating capacity. The modules have the same footprint as typical flat plate solar modules and can be rack mounted like them. Visit SV Solar at http://www.sv-solar.com/

--- CarmanahTechnologies Corporation of Victoria, British Columbia has been awarded a contract to build Canada’s largest solar system: 108 kilowatts. The system will be installed on the roof of the Jean Canfield Building in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The contract was awarded by Public Works & Government Services Canada (PWGSC). The building, currently under construction, is expected to receive a Gold certification in the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

The system will have 500 Sanyo solar modules and include Internet based monitoring technology that will provide live content to a lobby display. Visit Carmanah at http://www.carmanah.com/

--- World Water and Power of Pennington, New Jersey has been awarded a $5.7 million contract by Bayshore Recycling to build a 700-kilowatt solar system at the company’s Keasbey, New Jersey, headquarters. Bayshore recycles building materials - concrete, asphalt, brick, block, and slag - into marketable building products.

The solar system will provide a significant portion of Bayshore’s operational energy needs, according to World Water. Visit World Water and Power at http://www.worldwater.com/

--- The City of San Diego, California has completed the first phase of its multiyear plan to deploy 5-megawatts of solar power at city-owned facilities. The 1.135 megawatt system at the Alvardo Water Treatment Plant produces about 20 percent of the plant’s power, saving the city an estimated $40,000 per year.

The system was built by solar utility SunEdison, of Baltimore, who will own and operate it and sell solar-generated power to San Diego at rates lower than offered by the local utility. The contract with SunEdison allowed the city to enjoy solar power without the upfront costs of building the system themselves, an estimated $6.5 million. Visit SunEdison at http://www.sunedison.com/

--- Western Wine Services in Napa Valley, California now has a 827-kilowatt solar system. With 3636 photovoltaic modules the system was built by SPG solar over a period of three years. Solar generated power from the system is used primarily for wine storage operations, but excess electricity is sold back to the power grid.

To date it’s the largest solar system in Napa Valley. Visit SPG Solar at http://www.spgsolar.com/

--- Kyocera has a 235-kilowatt solar carport at its North American Headquarters in San Diego. Kyocera Solar has trademarked the award- winning project “Solar Grove”.

Now Solar Grove (tm) is set to become a turnkey product. The principals who the built the project, Tucker Sadler Architects and contracting firm Midwest General, have formed ENVISION Solar with the aim of providing feasibility studies, design services, installation, maintenance, etc. for construction of Solar Groves. They call their services appropriately “Single Point of Contract” also now trademarked. Visit ENVISION at http://www.envisionsolar.com/ and Kyocera Solar at http://www.kyocerasolar.com/

--- SC Solar has announced that it has completed a 4.2-kilowatt solar system for Half-Moon Outfitters of North Charleston, South Carolina. The system is installed on the company’s new distribution center which is expected to receive a Platinum Certification in the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The building will be one of the first in the Southeast US to attain the highest LEED award. Visit SC Solar at http://www.scsolar.com/ .

--- Spectra Watermachines of San Rafael, California and Trunz Metallchnik of Switzerland, have cooperatively developed Solar Cube, a deployable solar and wind powered water purification system.

Already used for disaster relief after the earthquakes in Pakistan and to aid isolated villages in Venezuela, Solar Cube can provide up to 3500 gallons per day of clean drinking water. Solar Cubes can purify contaminated water and desalinate sea water. Solar Cubes range in price from $38,000 to $80,000 with training and operational instruction included in the purchase price. Visit Spectra http://www.spectrawatermakers.com/

--- Trina Solar of Changzhou, China has plans to have annual production capabilities for 150-megawatts of solar cells by the end of 2007. The company appears to be on its way. Trina has successfully tested the first 50 megawatts of production capacity and expects the line to be ready for full production by April.

The company says its cells reach efficiencies slightly higher than 16 percent. Visit Trina Solar at http://www.trinasolar.com/