Semprius Inc of Durham, NC, USA, which designs and makes high-concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) solar modules, has delivered its technology in support of the 17.5kW DC demonstration system of aerospace & defense firm Aerojet Rocketdyne of Sacramento, CA (a GenCorp company) at the Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC) in Colorado (the largest test facility in the USA for solar technologies at the early commercial or near-commercial stages of development). The demonstration is being overseen by the Electric Power Research Institute Inc (EPRI), a non-profit organization that conducts R&D relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public.
At its production facility in Henderson, NC, Semprius manufactures what are claimed to be the world's highest-efficiency mass-produced solar modules, announcing last week a new record of 35.5% (2-3 times more efficient than conventional photovoltaic modules). The firm says that its unique design couples what are claimed to be the world's smallest commercial solar cells with established semiconductor and microelectronic manufacturing processes to deliver highly efficient, reliable, cost-competitive modules.
The SolarTAC demonstration system includes Semprius HCPV modules, a standard solar inverter and a dual-axis tracker system capable of accurately following the sun throughout the day. Connected to the grid in August, the system is already operating at peak AC system efficiencies exceeding 30%.
"With systems installed in eight countries and four US states since 2010, we look forward to this opportunity to demonstrate the superior performance, reliability and cost-effectiveness of our technology," says Semprius' VP of business development Russell Kanjorski.
Semprius will also support Aerojet Rocketdyne's next step in HCPV commercialization by supplying modules and technical assistance under Aerojet Rocketdyne's award from the US Department of Defense for a 200kW commercial demonstration at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
