Schneider Electric, Sempra Generation and SunRun were awarded Solar Champion Awards for their respective categories by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) at an event at Solar Power International. Schneider won the Manufacturer category for its 1MW dual-voltage solar farm in Smyrna, Tennessee, while Sempra’s considerable contribution to large-scale installations in the US won the Project Developer title for the company. SunRun won in the Innovator category for its solar power service concept.
Schneider opened its 1MW dual-voltage solar farm on a six-acre plot adjacent to its manufacturing plant in Smyrna, Tennessee in July 2011 – the first dual-voltage solar installation in the US capable of operating at both 1,000V (DC) and 600V (DC).
Sempra has been active in the large-scale solar installation business in the US for some time, and has in its portfolio the 48MW Copper Mountain Solar 1 project in Boulder City, Nevada, as well as plans for a 150MW expansion of the installation in 2012. Sempra also recently broke ground on its 150MW Mesquite Solar 1 project in Arizona.
SunRun’s third-party-owned solar service provides a means for homeowners to employ solar energy at a reduced cost. The service consists of SunRun-owned, -insured and -maintained solar panels being installed on a homeowner’s roof, fixing electricity costs for 20 years at a greatly reduced rate.
The SEIA is the national trade association for the US solar industry, and its mission is to assist in the advancement of the solar industry via advocacy, policy development and education.
