German International School of Silicon Valley goes Phoenix Solar

[Mountain View, CA USA]

German Parliamentary State Secretary Ulrich Kasparick inaugurates donated 18kWp Photovoltaic system

On Thursday, October 4, 2007, the German International School of Silicon Valley (GISSV) celebrated the inauguration of their new roof mounted and grid connected 18kWp (kiloWatt-peak) Photovoltaic (PV) system together with Invest in Germany, Mr. Ulrich Kasparick, the German Parliamentary State Secretary of Transport, Building, and Urban Development, Manfred Stolpe, former Premier of Brandenburg and Federal Minister, the GISSV community, Friends of GISSV, and invited guests.

The GISSV students and staff scooped the story, Photovoltaic system has been initiated with a photo slideshow, and Phoenix Solar covered the press release angle with Phoenix Solar AG builds a photovoltaic plant for the German school in California (Deutsch). In this German language video clip with Bernd Kohlstruck, Vice President Wind Business, Xantrex Technology, speaking, the PV system is initiated in a ceremonial “switch on” by dignitaries, company representatives, GISSV Principal Maja Oelschlägel, and GISSV President Christian Buchbauer.

Phoenix Solar AG (FRA:PS4) ($80,000) and Xantrex Technology Inc. (TSE:XTX) ($10,000) led a company consortium to donate the Photovoltaic system to the GISSV. First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) supported Phoenix Solar perhaps by assuring swift module supply or did they also donate modules? Blue Oak Energy, Inc. provided consulting services, and I think Borrego Solar Systems, Inc. provided licensed California installation services.

Dr. Murray Cameron, Chief Operating Officer, Phoenix Solar AG, said:

With the support of the German International School, we have been able to gather experience in the turnkey construction of PV systems in the US which we are using to prepare our entry into the attractive US market.

After musical performances by two age groups of GISSV students, Mr. Kasparick addressed the reception in a speech (Deutsch) about climate change, renewable energy, and Eastern Germany as a center of excellence for solar and photovoltaics research, development, and production.

This PV project was kicked off 5 weeks ago on August 29, 2007, when German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited GISSV and, along with other school initiatives, witnessed the donation of the PV system by Phoenix Solar and Xantrex.

The PV system is expected to produce 28,000 kWh (kiloWatt-hours) of annual electricity or about one third of the school's annual demand and consists of 250 First Solar FS Series PV Modules and four (4) Xantrex inverters (GT 5.0 Grid Tie Solar Inverters?). Looking at the spec table for the First Solar FS modules, I get a theoretical system capacity of 17.5kWp for 250 FS-270 70Wp (Watt-peak) modules and 18.125kWp for 250 FS-272 72.5Wp. Was this system capacity rounded or are different power modules on separate strings in the implementation?

I ribbed Phoenix Solar earlier this year in Solar Photovoltaic company Rebrandings hit new High after they announced the name change from Phönix SonnenStrom AG to Phoenix Solar AG. I praise them for giving back to the world community with the PV system donation to GISSV.

This was a unique event for me since I attended in the dual role of Photovoltaic Blogger and dual US citizen (by birth) and German citizen (Deutscher seit 2001) putting those German language skills, at least listening, to good use.