News Article
Concentrix Solar Expands Market Presence in the U.S.
The III-V CPV system provider for utility-scale solar power plants is preparing for growth in the U.S. with a new office, additional staff and CEC listing.
Strengthening its presence in the U.S. market for solar power plants, German firm Concentrix Solar, a worldwide supplier of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems has announced its latest plans for expansion.
Concentrix Solar manufactures GaInP/GaInAs/Ge based triple-junction solar cells where three different types of solar cells are stacked on top of one another. Each cell type is sensitized to convert a certain spectral region of the solar radiation: short wave, medium wave and the infrared range. The efficiency of these cells is as much as 38%.
A division of the Soitec Group, Concentrix Solar has launched a U.S.-based subsidiary, hired additional industry professionals and won listing from the California Energy Commission. The firm’s utility-scale power plant technology is ready for large scale deployment with all the key capabilities in place for increasing the company’s business in the U.S.
“With the development and growing importance of solar farms in the U.S., the time is right for us to form our U.S. venture,” said Hansjörg Lerchenmüller, CEO of Concentrix Solar. “Due to our CPV technology’s extreme efficiency, modularity and flexibility, we are prepared to meet the needs and challenges of the U.S. market.”
The company’s new U.S. subsidiary – Concentrix Solar, Inc. – is based in San Diego, where Concentrix Solar installed a CPV demonstration system in July 2009 to test its solar modules under California’s climate conditions. Since its installation, the 6-kilowatt system has proven exceptional performance, achieving 25% efficiency in generating electricity.
After evaluating the market potential for Concentrix Solar’s CPV technology, the company decided to open this first U.S. office which will be led by new General Manager of Business Development, Clark Crawford. Previously, Crawford led sales and marketing efforts at CPV systems supplier Amonix. He has a successful track record of securing large-scale commercial orders of CPV systems, and brings his extensive experience in the solar energy market to Concentrix Solar.
As Concentrix Solar expands its presence in the U.S., the company’s multi-junction CPV module has achieved a listing with the California Energy Commission (CEC). This listing is vital to doing business in California and a key step in financing commercial projects with customer companies and state energy utilities. Concentrix Solar’s CX-75 module has now been listed by the CEC after testing at TÜV Rheinland Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory LLC in Tempe, AZ.
Concentrix Solar’s CPV technology is designed for use by large-scale solar power plants in hot, arid regions. With characteristics such as low heat degradation and high durability, the company’s equipment is well suited for power plant installations in the American southwest.
Performance benefits include a constant power-output curve to maintain the electricity supply needed to meet peak-load demands, the ability to operate without active cooling mechanisms, and almost no energy loss at high ambient temperatures.
These attributes helped Concentrix Solar to win a project with Chevron Technology Ventures to install the energy giant’s first megawatt solar farm in the U.S. at a site in New Mexico, as announced in February. Construction has begun on this project, which will be one of the largest CPV power plants ever built in the U.S. It is scheduled for completion before the end of this year.
Concentrix Solar will exhibit in booth # 8629 in Moscone Convention Center’s West Hall at the Intersolar North America trade show, July 13-15 in San Francisco.
