American Honda Motor completes installation of 100kW CIGS project in Santa Clarita

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  Honda has installed its own solar power technology at its motor sports engineering facility, Honda Performance Development, in Santa Clarita, CA. Image: Business Wire
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  A Honda Fit-EV electric vehicle next to a GE WattStation electric charging station, powered by Honda-developed solar cells. The 100kW, 800-cell array of thin-film CIGS solar panels will power several areas of the facility and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 60 tons per year. Image: Business Wire

American Honda Motor revealed that its 100kW solar-cell demonstration project at Honda Performance Development (HPD) in Santa Clarita, California was completed, featuring 800 thin-film CIGS solar panels manufactured by Honda Soltec. The project includes a roof, carport and load dock canopy installation at the HPD headquarters and is said to be one of Honda’s largest solar installations to date.

The 100kW system uses a solar tracking system and incorporates a design that allows power to be delivered to an electric vehicle charger. The company advised that the system’s energy output would be monitored in real-time through an internet-based monitoring system.

“The installation of Honda Soltec solar panels along with an electric vehicle charging station at one of our most advanced Honda facilities in the United States represents a big step for us in our solar product development,” said Mike Hodge, manager of Honda Home Energy for the Power Equipment Division of American Honda Motor. “What we learn from this new project at HPD will provide real-world data and feedback on the use of Honda solar cells in a typical commercial application.”