Power Plants

Abengoa Solar will build two 50MW solar thermal plants in Extremadura, Spain with the help of the Japanese trading company, Itochu. Construction work on the Logrosán plants has already begun and they will be operational at some stage in 2012.

SunEdison and Arizona Public Service (APS) will join forces to build a utility-scale PV solar power plant close to the Prescott Regional Airport in Arizona. The 10MW facility is scheduled for grid connection in autumn 2011 and will generate in excess of 25 million kWh of electricity in its first year.

In SolarTech’s continued effort to hasten the implementation of renewable solar energy projects on state and local levels, the company has made the industry’s first engineering procurement and construction (EPC) contract template for solar financing, which is anticipated to go hand in hand with the power purchase agreement (PPA) that was released in 2009.

NEOptions, the Bulgarian Development Collaborative and SDN spent three years working together to produce what they claim as the largest solar PV project in Bulgaria and one of the largest in the EU: a 45MW solar PV project made up of one 20MW installation and another 25MW solar PV installation in the towns of Samovodene and Zlataritsa, Bulgaria. Construction has started on the solar PV project, with 5MW already completed.

SunPower has closed its €195.2 million solar bond issuance for its 44MW Montalto di Castro park in Italy. The proceeds will be used to fund further development of the facility, which is scheduled to be sold before the end of the year.

With solar power projects increasing in size, Bentek Solar has begun sales of its 1000VDC 400 Amp series integrated disconnect combiners.

New Mexico officials are hailing the 54MW (DC) of solar PV projects in Lea and Eddy counties as the largest in the state once they reach completion. Together with SunEdison and Xcel Energy’s regional operating company Southwestern Public Service, state and county officials gathered for the ground breaking of the solar PV projects.

Meyer Burger Technology has had an impressive few weeks scoring two big orders and has added a third order from a customer in Asia. The US$57.1 million (CHF55 million) deal will see MB Wafertec, a division of Meyer Burger, supply slicing, bricking and automated gluing systems while wafer inspection systems will be delivered by Hennecke Systems. Delivery is scheduled for 2011.

SolarReserve's 150MW Crossroads Solar Energy Project has received Certificates of Environmental Compatibility (CEC) from the Arizona Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee. The project and its associated transmission line, which will utilize Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne's molten salt, power tower technology, is located close to the town of Gila Bend in Maricopa County, Arizona and has the potential to generate 450,000MWh of electricity per year.

Solon SE has sold its Swiss subsidiary, Solon Inverters AG, to Delta Energy Systems. The companies have chosen not to disclose the details of the sale, which is the latest stage in Solon SE's plan to concentrate resources on key markets and products.