Industry News

Xantrex's SunTie XR Inverter Powers Yavapai College's New Building

Yavapai College in Chino Valley, Ariz., recently installed a solar power system, including a Xantrex SunTie XR (STXR) Grid-Tie Inverter, in its new Agribusiness & Science Technology Center. The STXR converts the DC power generated by the system's solar panels into high-quality AC electricity for use in the classrooms. The STXR is a quiet, efficient grid-tie inverter that, when connected to the grid, supplies any excess power produced to the utility grid.

Xantrex Certified Dealer EV Solar Products installed the STXR and solar panels at the Agribusiness & Science Technology Center. EV Solar's Ben Mancini, also a part-time faculty member who teaches a renewable energy class, worked on the project. He says because the college wanted students to learn in the classroom and from the building itself, the architects decided to install the STXR in an open, common area.

"The STXR is installed in the main hallway of the facility, so students and faculty are constantly reminded that there is a solar array on the building and that it is producing the power they are using," said Mancini. "And at any time, they can monitor the energy that is being produced."

NYC Officials Announce Clean Air Initiatives at Wastewater Treatment Plants

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Christopher O. Ward and New York Power Authority (NYPA) President and CEO Eugene W. Zeltmann have announced a pollution abatement program at the city's wastewater treatment plants that uses fuel cells to convert waste gas into energy to help power the facilities. This process is expected to eliminate nearly 170 tons of regulated emissions and more than 9,000 tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, and reduce fuel oil consumption by 3,000 barrels a year.

The announcement was held at DEP's 26th Ward wastewater treatment plant in Brooklyn where NYPA has installed two 200-kilowatt fuel cells that are currently providing a significant portion of the facility's electricity needs. The two fuel cells are among eight that NYPA partnered with DEP to install at four wastewater treatment plants in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island.

Each of the eight fuel cells are designed to operate on anaerobic digester gas (ADG), a by-product of the wastewater treatment process, primarily made up of methane and carbon dioxide. The fuel cells harness the ADG to produce electricity and thermal energy through a chemical reaction rather than combustion. The eight fuel cells, in harnessing the waste gas, will annually eliminate about 170 tons of regulated emissions, and more than 9,000 tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.

SMA America Installs PV System at its Headquarters

SMA America has announced the installation of a 21.6 kilowatt photovoltaic system at its headquarters in Grass Valley, Calif. The grid-tied solar system produces approximately the same amount of power as SMA America utilizes, making the firm a zero energy business.

The system is comprised of 12 1800U SMA America Sunny Boy inverters and 192 solar modules. Local installer APS from Grass Valley installed the system on the two-story building's standing seam roof. Beyond providing electricity, SMA America staff is using the system as a training aid for its dealer/installer program.

Five Wisconsin Dairy Farms to Use Microgy System to Convert Manure into Biogas

Environmental Power Corp. has announced that its subsidiary, Microgy Cogeneration Systems, has an agreement with Bach Farms to purchase a Microgy digester system to process manure produced by its dairy operations in Dorchester, Wis. Five farms have now agreed to adopt Microgy's anaerobic digestion technology. Microgy owns a license to a proprietary technology to convert manure and food industry wastes into biogas, providing a waste management solution with the potential to pay for itself by producing renewable energy and other residual products valuable to farmers and growers.

Like the earlier agreements, the Bach Farms agreement is part of Microgy's continuing efforts under its relationship with Dairyland Power Cooperative. The Dairyland Board of Directors has approved the Bach Farms project. Microgy's agreement with Bach Farms also provides Microgy with the right to operate and maintain the digester for the duration of its operational life.

APS and WND to Build Arizona's First Commercial Wind Power Plant

APS, Arizona's largest electric utility, is partnering with Western Wind Energy Corp. (WND) to build Arizona's first commercial wind power plant. The Eastern Arizona Wind Energy Center will be located atop a mesa approximately 800 feet higher than the surrounding land.

Located near the New Mexico border in east-central Arizona, the wind farm will consist of 10 1.5-megawatt wind turbines for a total generating capacity of 15 megawatts. APS expects construction to begin in September, with the plant operational by year's end.

APS is pursuing wind power in part to meet the requirements of Arizona's Environmental Portfolio Standard, which requires utilities to generate 1.1 percent of their power from renewable energy sources by 2007.

Dodge Dealership Expands Solar Power System to Become Largest on Maui

Island Dodge, an auto dealership in Kahului, Maui, is currently expanding its solar power system to a 52.2 kilowatt array, which will be the largest solar electric system on Maui. The array will offset the dealership's consumption of utility power and reduce its monthly electric bill, according to the company. The system is provided by ProVision Technologies.

Konarka Licenses Intellectual Property from DuPont for Organic PV Cell

Konarka Technologies, Inc., an innovator in developing and manufacturing breakthrough products that convert light to energy, has licensed certain intellectual property from DuPont Electronic & Communication Technologies to compliment Konarka's ongoing organic photovoltaic program. The acquisition of this asset furthers Konarka's leadership position in developing third-generation photovoltaic technology and bringing to market products based on this technology. 

The license also gives Konarka access to certain intellectual property originally developed by the University of California. This intellectual property portfolio includes work developed by Nobel Laureate Dr. Alan Heeger, chief scientist, co-founder and director of Konarka, as well as work from Dr. Serdar Sariciftci, senior scientific advisor to Konarka.

The agreement grants Konarka a limited sole license in a specific field of use and related to certain types of hybrid photovoltaic cells. According to Dr. Bill Beckenbaugh of Konarka Technologies, "Hybrid cells are the intersection of dye-sensitized cells, developed by Dr. Michael Grätzel and polymer cells, developed by Dr. Alan Heeger."

Konarka was the first company in the Americas to be granted licensee rights to dye-sensitized solar cell technology from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL). Dr. Beckenbaugh added, "Konarka now has a clear path to commercialization of hybrid, as well as all-polymer photovoltaic cells."

SatCon Technology Receives UL-1741 Certification for PowerGate PV System

SatCon Technology Corp., a manufacturer of electronic power control systems, recently announced that its PowerGate AE-PV 50kW photovoltaic Power Conversion System (PCS) has been UL-1741 certified. The unit has also been submitted for approval to the California Energy Commission (CEC) for use on California sponsored projects.

The company has a 100kW PCS, which has already been UL-1741 certified and approved by the CEC. Both products are also being submitted to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to qualify for that state's energy programs.

The converters are designed for use with light industrial and commercial solar power systems to generate electrical power in office buildings, small factories, hotels and similar facilities. SatCon's PCS converts DC electricity from photovoltaic cells into usable AC electricity.

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