Executive Viewpoint

Jose Toña, GUASCOR: "the main goal is to achieve grid parity in the near future"

20 July 2010

In every sector there are “leaders” that charge ahead with technological advances and welcome changes in strategy when markets get tough. Katherine Steiner-Dicks speaks to Jose Toña, the commercial manager at Spanish HCPV solar developer, Guascor Solar Corporation, to learn how a domestic dive in Spanish solar investment is not stopping his team’s main objective to reach grid parity. Will an international strategy be the key to this company’s success and act as a platform for other HCPV players?

Interview by Katherine Steiner-Dicks

CPV Today: The new generation of a GUASCOR High Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV) module has achieved a record efficiency of 31.5 %, held at the HELIOS CPV Solar simulator installed in the laboratory of the Institute of Solar Energy (IES-UPM) in Madrid. The power achieved by the module (284 W) is equivalent to 268 W/m2 and doubles the power of conventional flat modules. Commercially, what could this mean for the business?

Jose Toña: This new system will allow an important cost reduction of PV systems in order to offer the market the most competitive product in high irradiation areas for solar farms.

The main goal is to achieve grid parity in the near future.

CPV Today:  What kind of impact will the news of the Spanish government cutting back on feed in tariffs and subsidies for Spanish solar projects have on Guascor projects?

The Spanish market has suffered a big reduction during the last year not only for GUASCOR but for the rest of players of in the solar business.

Supported by the international presence and commercial experience of GUASCOR Group, we are also offering our HCPV Solution in Global Markets, as Italy, North of Africa, Brazil…

CPV Today: Guascor is a global diversified energy business, which gives it an advantage to younger companies in the CPV market. Nonetheless, how is it funding its renewable division, in particular, its HCPV initiatives now and how will it in the future?

Jose Toña: Investment into HCPV activity and developments are being privately funded by GUASCOR, which should be returned by the execution of the projects under development for the near future.

CPV Today: GUASCOR FOTON has already installed the first complete system HCPV of its new generation, 25 kW AC on operating conditions. What have been some of the lessons learned both technically and financially as a result of this?

Jose Toña: GUASCOR has implemented in this new development all the knowledge acquired from our real field experience over a three year period in HCVPV at utility scale (10 MW).

Not only for the module, but for the rest of components of an HCPV Plant, such as the dual axis tracker, tracker control, inverter, connection strategies, shading influence, plant design and dimensioning….in order to optimize the performance, and minimize the cost of the energy produced.

CPV Today:  GUASCOR FOTON has installed and connected to the distribution network commercial solar farms in Spain with a total output of more than 10 MW which constitutes more than 50% of the total installed worldwide HCPV capacity, positioning GUASCOR FOTON at the top of the game on High Concentration Photovoltaic systems. What are the company's thoughts on acquiring smaller companies in this segment that show potential, but do not have critical mass to expand to the next level of development?

Jose Toña: At present, the HCPV market is composed of small sized companies. A concentration in this field is expected in the near future. Of course, Guascor will analyze the future possible partnerships.

 Image: Guascor Foton's New HCPV System (Spain)