Soitec completes construction of CPV solar plant

PARIS, FRANCE: As per an announcement made by Soitec SA, a wafer maker, the construction and grid connection of its 1.17-megawatt-peak (MWp) concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar power plant in the Belpasso municipality, in Sicily has been completed. The new solar plant is owned and operated by Soitec and will supply electricity to Enel, Italy’s largest power company.

It is equipped with 74 of Soitec’s high-efficiency CPV trackers, each using 168 Concentrix CPV modules, along with two central inverters of 500 kW each to ensure reliable power distribution to the grid, reports Anne-Françoise PELE of EETimes.

The company claims that, the electricity generated by the solar plant would be enough to supply about 300 homes per year. The company also said that it will compensate more than 125 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. The systems designed by Soitec are aimed at maximising energy production throughout the day with the help of multi junction solar cells and dual axis tracking systems. The dual axis tracking systems maintain an optimal angle to the sun.

“This project has allowed us to show that CPV’s leading efficiency and ability to provide a steady, long-term energy supply without consuming excessive amounts of land and water make it exactly the right technology for Italy,” stated Gaetan Borgers, executive vice president of Soitec’ Solar Energy division.