Project Focus: Mercury Solar teams with NREL for company’s solar test-bed

April 23, 2010
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Mercury Solar Systems and the US Department of Energy’s NREL have formed a partnership in the name of solar energy research advancement. The NREL will take data from its own long-term research of Mercury’s solar test-bed. The system will be built on Mercury’s corporate headquarters roof in New York with full operation slated to begin by the end of the summer. The project was partially financed with a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

“Our partnership with NREL will help validate panel performance for the entire solar industry,” said Lloyd Hoffstatter, VP of engineering at Mercury. “Combining several different solar panels into one system is an innovative approach to evaluate and monitor panel performance. It will also give us quantifiable engineering data to design, construct and integrate the most state-of-the-art solar energy systems for our customers, giving us a significant edge over other firms in this industry.”

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

At 81kW, the PV system will have several hundred panels from eight different manufactures and is anticipated to produce around 90,000kWh every year. In addition, the system will also integrate a hybrid PV/solar hot water system.

Read Next

February 5, 2026
Figures from the Global Solar Council (GSC) suggest that Africa added 4.5GW of new solar PV capacity in 2025.
February 5, 2026
Sunwafe has selected Spanish engineering firm Tresca Ingenieria for the development of its 20GW ingot/wafer manufacturing facility in Spain.
February 5, 2026
Vietnam is the cheapest country to produce fully domestic solar modules outside of China, according to a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
February 5, 2026
Portuguese PV cleaning specialist Chemitek Solar has launched a new solution for drone-based cleaning of agrivoltaic systems.
February 5, 2026
The governments of Turkey and Saudi Arabia have signed a 5GW renewables agreement to develop power plants in the former country.
February 5, 2026
Explainer: Two new studies offer fresh insights into the performance of TOPCon solar modules, including a new degradation mode related to encapsulants.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
February 18, 2026
9am PST / 5pm GMT
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA