The 2 Megawatt thermal energy project spans across 3.8 acres in the Kona, HI desert, and utilizes 1,000 Sopogy proprietary MicroCSP™ solar panels.
Story Content Courtesy of Sopogy, Inc.
This month, Sopogy, Inc. inaugurated the world's first MicroCSP™ Solar Thermal Plant today at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii. Through the use of mirrors and optics and an integrated sun tracker, these panels achieve higher efficiencies than conventional solar panels. The system also uses a unique thermal energy storage buffer that allows energy to be produced during cloudy periods and to shift energy produced from the day to evening periods.
"MicroCSP™ is an achievement in rugged, modular and cost effective solar thermal technology," said Darren T. Kimura, President and CEO of Sopogy, Inc.
With the initialization of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, the state has become a magnet for renewable energy project development. Sopogy and its local solar project development partner Keahole Solar Power have a goal to bring 30 megawatts of MicroCSP™ power to the state by 2015.
TechConnect News Note: Mr. Kimura presented Sopogy in the Venture Forum at the 2007 TechConnect Summit in Santa Clara, CA. Congratulations to Mr. Kimura and Sopogy on this latest announcement!
