KGO Radio Solar Project Update: SolFocus Installed!

Photo Credit: SolFocus, Inc.

Inspections expected later this week.

Last week, I noticed Stay Tuned! by Art Lebermann in the KGO Solar Blog chronicling the assembly and installation of the SolFocus, Inc., CPV (Concentrating PhotoVoltaic) solar arrays. Per SolFocus today, the inspections by the city of Fremont should be completed this week and then the solar arrays can go live.

Just after I posted the previous KGO Radio Solar Project Update: SolFocus install delayed on May 2, 2008, I added a comment with SolFocus clarifications to the post:

Nancy Hartsoch, SolFocus Vice President, Corporate Marketing, responded to my questions about the KGO Solar project earlier this week.

The KGO Solar project will use three (3) of the twelve (12) panel SolFocus CPV arrays rated at 2.46kW each for a total system capacity of 7.38kW. The 12 panel arrays will now use a new SolFocus/Inspira tracker and controller with the same fundamental design as SolFocus' 30 panel CPV arrays.

Ms. Hartsoch said:

"We hope to complete installation and have everything running for KGO prior to the end of the month."

The SolFocus installation appears to be running about three (3) weeks late. This seems reasonable to me for a new, evolving technology in a specialized application. The CPV arrays can be seen to the right as you drive on CA-84 west over the Dumbarton Bridge.

Now, if I could only get caught up with my own email Inbox.

Also, I want to thank SolFocus, PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), and Premier Power for responding to my inquiries about this project. But jeers to KGO Radio, owned by the Citadel Broadcasting Corporation (NYSE:CDL) radio group, for =never= responding to my requests for background information. Way to go for "the third largest radio group in the United States" including the ABC Radio Network business.

KGO Radio Solar Project Update: SolFocus install delayed

[Newark, California USA]

KGO Radio partners with PG&E to solar power their transmitter facility

Back on February 12, 2008, KGO RADIO LAUNCHES SOLAR POWER ACTION PLAN announced a joint project between KGO Radio and PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG) to power KGO Radio’s transmitter with two (2) solar power systems. KGO Radio’s transmitter is located here on the eastern side of the Dumbarton Bridge in the San Francisco Bay area.

Installed by Premier Power, the first system consists of GE photovoltaic arrays ground mounted by and roof mounted on the transmitter buildings. The second system will consist of three (3) SolFocus, Inc., CPV (Concentrating PhotoVoltaic) solar arrays.

KGO Solar Transmitter Project: Work in Progress

The KGO Solar Blog by Art Lebermann has tracked progress on the installation since the announcement.

The KGO Radio Solar Project was supposed to be completed by mid-March 2008, but the project has been delayed by SolFocus as first noted in Progress Report on March 25, 2008. In What's the Delay?, Nancy Hartsoch, SolFocus Vice President, Corporate Marketing, said:

Some very recent upgrades to our solar tracking technology have caused a slight delay in the installation of the SolFocus CPV panels at KGO's transmitter site. However, there is no doubt it will be worth the wait! The new technology, developed in Spain and custom-designed for us, allows us to track the sun more accurately, resulting in a more efficient, effective and long-lived system. The significance of this project demands that we 'get it right' and use the best technology available. Stay tuned...

Although Major Progress! from April 23, 2008, said:

And in other good news, work on the SolFocus system is scheduled to resume next week.

I didn’t see any activity at the site when I took these Picasa slideshow photos on April 30, 2008.

While the KGO Radio press release states “the two systems will generate 12KW of power”, Premier Power informed me their portion of the installation used fifty (50) 200Wp (Watt-peak) GE solar modules for a 10kWp (kilowatt-peak) system capacity. This would leave a scant 2kWp for the three SolFocus CPV arrays!

By comparison, the SolFocus CPV arrays installed at ISFOC (please see ISFOC First Phase 1.7 MegaWatt Installations Underway) were each rated at 6.2kW. However, the KGO Solar Blog has a photo of a smaller SolFocus array with twelve (12) modules instead of the thirty (30) modules shown in the ISFOC installation.

SolFocus did not respond to my questions before post time. I will add a comment or post a follow up when I can clarify the details.

ISFOC First Phase 1.7 MegaWatt Installations Underway

Tracking progress by Concentrating PhotoVoltaic (CPV) companies SolFocus, Concentrix Solar, and Isofotón.

On January 15, 2008, with SolFocus First to Install Solar Array for 3 MW Spanish CPV Project, SolFocus, Inc. and ISFOC, Instituto de Sistemas Fotovoltaicos de Concentración S.A. or Institute of Concentration Photovoltaics Systems, announced the completion of the first CPV solar array for the 3MW (MegaWatt) ISFOC project. For background on ISFOC, please see ISFOC 1.3MW CPV Power Plant tenders made public.

First SolFocus array at Puertollano, Castilla La Mancha – Spain

Photo Credit: SolFocus, Inc.

SolFocus’ first array has been installed near ISFOC in Puertollano, Castilla La Mancha – Spain, as part of the initial 200kW (kiloWatt) of their total 500kW ISFOC award. Per SolFocus:

SolFocus broke ground at the ISFOC Puertollano site in October of last year with the civil construction and underground electrical work. The SolFocus array that is installed is rated at 6.2kW and has performed over its design output, which is significant at the early stage of this project.

Photo Credit: Concentrix Solar GmbH

As of last Monday, Concentrix Solar’s CPV solar array installation at ISFOC in Puertollano was also moving forward, and Concentrix had completed 12 trackers with 5.75kW each for the project as shown in the above photo. These look similar to the main tracking solar arrays in Concentrix Solar Concentrator Proving Ground Slideshow.

Outside of ISFOC, per Concentrix Solar awarded the "Innovation Award of the German Economy" (Deutsch):

Concentrix Solar GmbH was awarded the 28th "Innovation Award of the German Economy" in the category of "Start-Up Companies", distinguishing it as the company with the most promising innovation.

I also contacted Isofotón S.A., a subsidiary of the private Grupo Bergé, for an update on their installations in Puertollano. While Isofotón understood my request, they chose not to reply. Here is the last official news from Isofotón about the ISFOC project: Isofoton, first international company to pass tests required by the ISFOC, within the frameworks of the Standard EIC62108 certification for photovoltaic concentration modules (Español).

Alas, the big CPV news last week was from EMCORE Corporation (NASDAQ:EMKR) with a pair of deals including a 200MW to 700MW MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with solar new comer SunPeak Solar, LLC and several Spanish market agreements totaling $18 million. Here are the press releases:

EMCORE Corporation Enters Into A Multi-Year Agreement To Supply Solar Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems for Utility Scale Power Projects In The Southwestern US
EMCORE Receives Additional Orders To Supply Spanish Market With Its Concentrator Solar Photovoltaic Components And Systems

Please see Concentrating on the Southwest Sun by Rachel Barron at Greentech Media for background on the EMCORE deal with SunPeak Solar.

I think an EMCORE MOU with a brand new photovoltaic project developer deserves further scrutiny. No financial terms or Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) were disclosed in the press release. At least the Southwestern United States has significant direct solar resources for CPV.

ISFOC Awards 1.3MW of Concentrator PhotoVoltaic power plants

Concentración Solar La Mancha S.L., EMCORE Corp., Arima Eco, and Sol3g submitted the winning bids.

The ISFOC, Instituto de Sistemas Fotovoltaicos de Concentración S.A. or Institute of Concentration Photovoltaics Systems, Board of Directors awarded the 13 Concentrator PhotoVoltaic (CPV) pilot power plants at their last meeting. These awards complete the tender for the second phase of ISFOC’s 3MW (MegaWatt) CPV pilot plant program detailed in the previous post, ISFOC 1.3MW CPV Power Plant tenders made public. The terse ISFOC announcement is here.

Including two (2) Spanish firms, here are the 1.3MW award details:

Concentración Solar La Mancha S.L. (ES)	300kW
EMCORE Corp. (US)	300kW
Arima Eco (Taiwan)	300kW
Sol3g (ES)	400kW

The unsuccessful bidders included: Menova Energy (Canada), GreenVolts (US), Electricidad Alsanbo S.L. (ES), Infopyme Solar (ES), and SolFocus (US). The failure of the GreenVolts bid for a 200kW (kiloWatt) pilot power plant is notable. Perhaps the capacity was too small and the price per kilowatt was too high? SolFocus was awarded 500kW of CPV pilot power plants in the first phase.

Thanks to the folks at Sol3g, S.L. for bringing this ISFOC award to my attention. Earlier this month, Sol3g joined ASIF (http://www.asif.org/), Asociación de la Industria Fotovoltaica or Spanish Photovoltaic Industry Association, per the press release Sol3g becomes member of Asif.

ISFOC 1.3MW CPV Power Plant tenders made public

GreenVolts, Sol3g, and SolFocus among the Concentrator PhotoVoltaic power plant bidders

Back on September 10, 2007, ISFOC, Instituto de Sistemas Fotovoltaicos de Concentración S.A. or Institute of Concentration Photovoltaics Systems, disclosed the companies and their bids for the installation of 1.3MW (Mega-Watts) of CPV (Concentrator PhotoVoltaic) pilot power plants in Call for tenders. These plants will be installed as part of the infrastructure of ISFOC in Castilla La Mancha – Spain as a national and international reference in the concentration photovoltaics field.

COMPANY NAME / EMPRESA	POWER / POTENCIA (kW)	PRICE / PRECIO (€/kW)	MAINTENANCE / MANTENIMIENTO (€/100kW)
Concentración Solar La Mancha S.L. (ES)	300	6000	8000
EMCORE Corp. (US)	400	5960	7750
Menova Energy (Canada)	400	6000	8000
Arima Eco (Taiwan)	400	5998	8000
Greenvolts (US)	200	6000	8000
Electricidad Alsanbo S.L. (ES)	-	6000	7500
Infopyme Solar (ES)	-	5950	7800
Solfocus (US)	200	5850	8000
Sol3G (ES)	400	5980	7900

The final selection process is slated for completion by the first week of November 2007, and the successful bidders will install their pilot plants in 2008 per the requirements articulated in the call for tenders.

This 1.3MW tender is the second phase of a 3MW CPV pilot plant program. The first 1.7MW phase of CPV pilot plants have been awarded to Isofoton (700kW), SolFocus (500kW), and Concentrix (500kW). Installation of these is underway and should be operational in the first half of 2008. 800kW of this capacity will be installed near ISFOC in Puertollano, Castilla La Mancha – Spain: SolFocus and Concentrix with 200kW each and Isofoton with 400kW. The balance of the pilot plants from the first phase are single company pilot plants located in rural areas of Castilla La Mancha each with differing microclimates and solar radiation.

Isofoton will install 300kW in Talavera de la Reina near Toledo, and SolFocus will install 300kW in Almoguera near Guadalajara, the coldest area in Castilla La Mancha. Meanwhile, Concentrix is installing 300kW in Sotos, located north of Cuenca.

One reference on the ISFOC website appears to show participation by GUASCOR FOTON in the first phase, but this is not in the ISFOC paper or poster cited below.

ISFOC was started by a Government of Castilla La Mancha initiative commissioning the Institute of Solar Energy - UPM (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) to develop a CPV R&D plan. Professors Antonio Luque and Gabriel Sala formulated the plans for the implementation of ISFOC and the Scientific International Committee (SIC) supervising the technical management.

Spain’s national Ministry of Education funded ISFOC’s first phase with €20 Million covering infrastructure, personnel, and a new headquarters and lab facility.

Here are two quotes about ISFOC’s main objective and goal from the Flash enabled and unlinkable website:

ISFOC’s main objective is to promote CPV Systems implementation, helping so its industrialization and commercialization. Companies are invited to joint efforts towards the acceleration of development and starting up of concentration plants, and ISFOC will deliver technical reports on their operation.

One of ISFOC’s main goals is to generate international R&D projects on CPV installations.

For reference, here is the Visual (Poster) Presentation and paper with further detail on the formation and governance of ISFOC from the 22nd EU PVSEC.

VISUAL PRESENTATIONS 1DV.3
Solar Cells, Modules and PV Systems for Space Applications
Terrestrial Concentrator Systems
1DV.3.47 F. Rubio & P. Banda
ISFOC, Ciudad Real, Spain
Establishment of the Institute of Concentration Photovoltaics Systems - ISFOC

Given this is La Mancha, I refuse to make veiled references to Don Quixote tilting at two-axis CPV trackers.

22nd EU PVSEC Exhibition Photos

And the latest news from SolFocus

Although I always take many photos at these events, I don't seem to use them. Here is a Picasa slideshow of stands from the Exhibition.

The SolFocus team was at the Moser Baer press conference today. In SolFocus Raises $52 Million Led by New Enterprise Associates, SolFocus announced the closing of a $52 million financing round and the opening of SolFocus Europe in Madrid, Spain.

According to SolFocus CEO Gary D. Conley, the company will base its tracker and solar thermal product development activities in Europe, while focusing on panel, optics, and cell technologies in the United States.

SolFocus' involvement in solar thermal products is new. SolFocus is also involved in forming a Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) Consortium. A founding group of leading CPV firms is forming this organization to support the development of CPV as a mainstream source of renewable energy. Key CPV Consortium Goals include:

Establishment of Safety Standards
Development of a Code of Conduct
Fostering Collaboration and Research
Providing a Single Industry Voice

Between the Press Conferences and the Exhibition, I haven't had much time to get to the Plenary and Oral Presentations. I am off now to a session on Terrestrial Concentrator Systems followed by the EPIA Open Bar and the Q-Cells Party. The schedule here in Milano is rough!

Sol3g secures Triple Junction Solar Cells from Azur Space

Almost 8 million III-V Triple Junction Solar Cells!

On July 25, 2007, Sol3g, S.L. and AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH entered into a supply agreement for 44,000 wafers of III-V Triple Junction solar cells over the next three (3) years. The 44,000 wafers represent the equivalent of about 8 million cells or 30MWp (MegaWatt-peak) of HCPV (High Concentration PhotoVoltaic) solar modules. Each wafer is 10cm (centimeters) in diameter with 178 cells per wafer.

Please see Sol3g and Azur Space sign a contract for the supply of triple-junction concentration cells for the official press release.

Sol3g states this supply agreement will cover their HCPV solar module production for the next three years. Since Sol3g is now ramping 5MWp per year of annual production capacity, this agreement confirms Sol3g’s plans to more than double this production capacity over the next three years.

This photo supplied by Sol3g shows Dr. Klaus-Dieter Rasch (left), Managing Director of Azur Space, and Ricard Pardell (right), Managing Director of Sol3g, sealing the deal with a ceremonial handshake.

At first, solar cells designed for space applications are being supplied with 32% efficiency at 380 suns. Azur is in the process of optimizing the solar cell device structure for operation in terrestrial applications with Air Mass 1.5 Direct (AM1.5D) solar spectral irradiance. With these optimizations, Azur expects to increase the average production solar cell efficiency to 35% in 2007 and 37% in 2008 both at 380 suns.

Sol3g joins SolFocus (SolFocus deal with Boeing (Spectrolab) ) and Solar Systems Pty Ltd (Solar Systems and Boeing enter Agreement) in announcing significant supply deals for III-V Triple Junction Solar Cells for HCPV solar applications although both of these deals were with efficiency leader Spectrolab, a Boeing company. Concentrix Solar has yet to announce a supply deal with long time partner Azur Space.

In related news, SolFocus has moved out of the PARC palace and located their new headquarters offices in Mountain View, California USA.