Intelligence Brief

City of Mesa signs deal with SolFocus

21 September 2009

The City of Mesa, Arizona, has signed an agreement with SolFocus to build 11 concentrating photovoltaic solar arrays.
 

The arrays, to be built alongside four existing demonstration arrays at the City’s Central Arizona Project Water Treatment Plant, will interconnect with the Salt River Project’s (SRP) electric distribution system metre that serves the park, providing 92 kilowatts of electricity. The projected cost of the project, $558,180, is contingent on funds being granted by the Economic Stimulus programme under the Community Block Grant portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
 

The City expects to save $16,000 to $20,000 per year, based upon the rates SRP applies and the energy production from the arrays.
 

SolFocus recently announced the completion of its expanded solar glass reflector manufacturing factory in Mesa with full production expected in the second half of 2009.
 

The City of Mesa will be the first showcase of the SolFocus technology developed through the NREL PV incubator programme. According to the Mountain View, California-based CPV technology company, the optics developed under this programme have been incorporated into the SolFocus 1100S CPV system which has recently transitioned into full scale commercialisation.