Cogentrix’s Alamosa Solar facility begins commercial operation

May 11, 2012
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The Alamosa Solar Generating plant is being called the world’s largest concentrating PV electric power generating facility and Cogentrix Energy advised that it has finally begun commercial operation. Located in San Luis Valley in Colorado, the 30MW site produces energy for customers of Xcel Energy’s subsidiary, Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo).

Built across 225 acres of land, and constructed by MA Mortenson, the Alamosa project uses over 500 dual-axis, pedestal mounted tracker assemblies, which each generate around 60kW of electricity. Each tracker is 70 feet wide by 50 feet high and contains 7,560 Fresnel lenses.

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Tom Bonner, president of Cogentrix stated, “Cogentrix has a long history of developing, constructing, and operating power plants employing a variety of technologies. We’re proud of the Alamosa Solar project and we are excited for what it means to Colorado, Xcel Energy and the US solar sector”.

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