NEWS I ROUNDUP
Soitec receives South African approval
Soitec announced that it has been selected by South Africa’s Department of Energy as one of the preferred bidders under the country’s independent power producer (IPP) program. Soitec’s initial project under this program is to install a 50-megawatt peak concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) plant in Touwsrivier, Western Cape, South Africa next to the Aquila Private Game Reserve, where Soitec has already installed a solar pilot plant.
According to the Department of Energy, South Africa’s goal is to generate 42 percent of all new electricity from renewable-energy source over the next 20 years. In the IPP program, the Department of Energy says they have received over 300 applications for grid connection.
The Department of Energy has applied very strict selection criteria in reviewing the applications and, in its first round of procurement decisions, approved the
project proposal submitted by Soitec in partnership with Schneider Electric of South Africa.
Soitec developed the project from inception to its current status of preferred bidder, including conducting the environmental impact assessment and obtaining all the required permits. For the construction phase, Soitec will supply its CPV systems and expertise while Schneider Electric should be providing the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) as well as the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) based on their footprint in South Africa.
With installations around the world, Soitec’s CPV technology has proven to be the most efficient and most environmentally friendly solar-power technology. It demonstrates unique cost competitiveness compared to other solar technologies, largely due to its higher production yields at peak times and lower construction and maintenance costs. In
Solar future for Dinuba
THE City of Dinuba, Chevron Energy Solutions and Tioga Energy today announced the completion of a 1.15 megawatt solar electric system that will reduce energy costs for operations at the city’s largest energy consumer: its wastewater treatment plant.
The ground-mounted racking system of 4,704 photovoltaic modules sits atop a capped landfill near the plant on hundreds of large concrete slabs, each weighing more than 3,000 pounds. The project is expected to cut the City of Dinuba’s electrical utility usage at the site by 70 percent.
“The Chevron Energy Solutions team was relentless in its commitment to seeing this project to completion, bringing in the necessary partners such as Tioga Energy to provide funding, ongoing management and incentives,” said Ed Todd, city manager for the City of Dinuba. “We are grateful to all the teams involved for their dedication in enabling the City of Dinuba
to realize the benefits of solar energy without compromising budget.”
Chevron Energy Solutions designed and engineered the project, and provided construction services for installation.
“The City of Dinuba had a noteworthy vision to transform an otherwise unusable site into a clean energy-generating asset for the community,” said Jim Davis, President of Chevron Energy Solutions. “Chevron Energy Solutions is proud to partner with the city of Dinuba to provide its residents with a new solar energy landmark.”
Tioga Energy, a leading provider of renewable energy services to commercial, government and non-profit institutions, financed, managed and owns the project through its SurePath Solar power purchase agreement (PPA), selling the generated electricity back to the city at predictable rates over a period of 20 years.
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addition, CPV technology’s abilities to operate without cooling water, to withstand hot ambient temperatures and to accommodate the dual use of land with minimal environmental impact make it perfectly suited for use throughout South Africa.
Schneider Electric’s renewable energies access offering covers all needs, from electricity generation through to network connection. The company’s services include feasibility studies, architectural design, plant construction, power distribution, supplying all types of equipment such as junction boxes, inverters, transformer substations, the supervision system and video surveillance, as well as operation and maintenance.
“The City of Dinuba smartly assessed its electricity needs and renewable energy goals with Chevron Energy Solutions, and drew upon Tioga’s expertise and the Tioga SurePath PPA to bring the project to life despite a challenging economic climate,” said Paul Detering, CEO of Tioga Energy.
“Today’s ceremony marks the beginning of a new chapter for environmentally sustainable operations in the City of Dinuba – one that allows the community to experience the benefits of clean power without negatively impacting resource allotment.”
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