The City Solar Group is increasing its share in the Spanish photovoltaic market to almost 30%. Besides building the world’s currently largest solar energy plant in Beneixama in the south-west of Spain (with a capacity of 20 megawatt-peak / MWp), the company, whose headquarters are in Bad Kreuznach, Rheinland Palatinate, has just signed contracts with an important investor for three further large-scale power plants with a total capacity of 25.75 MW.
The City Solar Team is just coming into the home stretch with work on the photovoltaic park in Beneixama (Alicante Province). The last of the 200 x 100 kWp installations will be connected to the grid by August. This project was City Solar’s introduction to the Spanish market, “And at the same time, the best door-opener for further large-scale projects”, Dr. Peer Piske, Head of the City Solar office in Madrid pointed out.
The latest contracts speak for themselves: a further 25.75 megawatt-peak (MWp), divided into three free-surface large-scale power plants, has been signed up for. 15 MWp in Mahora and 0.75 MWp in Bonete (both in the Albacete Province) are being built by City Solar with an adaptive tracking system also developed by City Solar – a system, which simply explained, operates like a sunflower following the sun, in order to achieve a larger output. The other 10 MWp in Alconchel (Badajoz Province, near the border with Portugal) will be equipped with fixed photovoltaic components.
22% Output increase due to own tracking system
City Solar Group only needed one year, and now their own trackers are ready for the first large-scale installation in Spain. To do this City Solar has used a one-axis adaptive system. Each tracker consists of ten City Solar modules Type PQ 200, which are already working successfully in power plants in Beneixama, Saarbrücken (Germany) and Sembach (Germany). The trackers were especially optimised for this type of module and underwent eight months of intensive endurance testing. “In total, we reckon on an increase in output of at least 22% in comparison with the fixed systems”, Christof Lagaly, Head of the Development team explained.
The first trackers will be installed in a small power plant with 750 KW capacity in Bonete, approximately 100 kilometres from Alicante. Building will start in the next few days. With a global annual irradiation of more than 1,900 kWh/m2, this power plant will produce approximately 1.4 million kWh solar energy per year.
7,000 Trackers in Mahora
The similarly adaptive 15 MW installation in Mahora (only 50 kilometres north of Bonete) will reach much greater dimensions. Building will start at the beginning of September and will be completed at the latest by the middle of 2008. With a comparable irradiation level and with its 7,000 trackers and 70,000 modules, City Solar forecasts an annual production of
28 million kilowatt hours. This is enough to supply a small town of 11,200 average households. And it means a CO2 avoidance of 28,000 tons per year.
Now we move from the south-east to the south-west of Spain, near to the border with Portugal, to the mediaeval town of Alconchel, also known through its castle “Castillo de Miraflores“, one of the most important Estremaduras buildings originating from the time of Islamic rule. From here, you will soon have the best view of a 10 MW-producing solar power plant. For this plant, City Solar is using its tested, fixed installation system and will reach a production of 15 million kWh. This is enough power to supply 6,000 average households.
Interesting comparison
According to the latest EU guidelines, a passenger vehicle may not exceed 130 g CO2 emissions per km. If you add up the CO2 avoidance of the three new City Solar power plants in Spain, this corresponds to the equivalent of approx. 28,000 cars travelling an average of 10,000 km per year.
Facts and Data
Solar power plant Bonete
Location: Bonete (Albacete Province / 100 km north-west of Alicante)
Technology: adaptive City Solar tracking system
Electricity Production: approx. 1.4 million kWh/p.a.
(covers energy requirements of approx. 560 average households)
CO2 avoidance: 1,120 tons p.a.
Build begins: June 2007
Solar power plant Alconchel
Location: Alconchel (Badajoz Province/ near the border with Portugal)
Technology: fixed City Solar system
Production: approx. 15 million kWh/p.a.
(covers energy requirements of approx. 6,000 average households)
CO2 avoidance: 12,000 tons p.a.
Build begins: June 2007
Solar power plant Mahora
Location: Mahora (Albacete Province/ 150 km north-west of Alicante)
Technology: adaptive City Solar tracking system
Production: approx. 28 million kWh/p.a.
(covers energy requirements of approx. 11,200 average households)
CO2 avoidance: 22,400 tons p.a.
Build begins: September 2007
The City Solar Team is just coming into the home stretch with work on the photovoltaic park in Beneixama (Alicante Province). The last of the 200 x 100 kWp installations will be connected to the grid by August. This project was City Solar’s introduction to the Spanish market, “And at the same time, the best door-opener for further large-scale projects”, Dr. Peer Piske, Head of the City Solar office in Madrid pointed out.
The latest contracts speak for themselves: a further 25.75 megawatt-peak (MWp), divided into three free-surface large-scale power plants, has been signed up for. 15 MWp in Mahora and 0.75 MWp in Bonete (both in the Albacete Province) are being built by City Solar with an adaptive tracking system also developed by City Solar – a system, which simply explained, operates like a sunflower following the sun, in order to achieve a larger output. The other 10 MWp in Alconchel (Badajoz Province, near the border with Portugal) will be equipped with fixed photovoltaic components.
22% Output increase due to own tracking system
City Solar Group only needed one year, and now their own trackers are ready for the first large-scale installation in Spain. To do this City Solar has used a one-axis adaptive system. Each tracker consists of ten City Solar modules Type PQ 200, which are already working successfully in power plants in Beneixama, Saarbrücken (Germany) and Sembach (Germany). The trackers were especially optimised for this type of module and underwent eight months of intensive endurance testing. “In total, we reckon on an increase in output of at least 22% in comparison with the fixed systems”, Christof Lagaly, Head of the Development team explained.
The first trackers will be installed in a small power plant with 750 KW capacity in Bonete, approximately 100 kilometres from Alicante. Building will start in the next few days. With a global annual irradiation of more than 1,900 kWh/m2, this power plant will produce approximately 1.4 million kWh solar energy per year.
7,000 Trackers in Mahora
The similarly adaptive 15 MW installation in Mahora (only 50 kilometres north of Bonete) will reach much greater dimensions. Building will start at the beginning of September and will be completed at the latest by the middle of 2008. With a comparable irradiation level and with its 7,000 trackers and 70,000 modules, City Solar forecasts an annual production of
28 million kilowatt hours. This is enough to supply a small town of 11,200 average households. And it means a CO2 avoidance of 28,000 tons per year.
Now we move from the south-east to the south-west of Spain, near to the border with Portugal, to the mediaeval town of Alconchel, also known through its castle “Castillo de Miraflores“, one of the most important Estremaduras buildings originating from the time of Islamic rule. From here, you will soon have the best view of a 10 MW-producing solar power plant. For this plant, City Solar is using its tested, fixed installation system and will reach a production of 15 million kWh. This is enough power to supply 6,000 average households.
Interesting comparison
According to the latest EU guidelines, a passenger vehicle may not exceed 130 g CO2 emissions per km. If you add up the CO2 avoidance of the three new City Solar power plants in Spain, this corresponds to the equivalent of approx. 28,000 cars travelling an average of 10,000 km per year.
Facts and Data
Solar power plant Bonete
Location: Bonete (Albacete Province / 100 km north-west of Alicante)
Technology: adaptive City Solar tracking system
Electricity Production: approx. 1.4 million kWh/p.a.
(covers energy requirements of approx. 560 average households)
CO2 avoidance: 1,120 tons p.a.
Build begins: June 2007
Solar power plant Alconchel
Location: Alconchel (Badajoz Province/ near the border with Portugal)
Technology: fixed City Solar system
Production: approx. 15 million kWh/p.a.
(covers energy requirements of approx. 6,000 average households)
CO2 avoidance: 12,000 tons p.a.
Build begins: June 2007
Solar power plant Mahora
Location: Mahora (Albacete Province/ 150 km north-west of Alicante)
Technology: adaptive City Solar tracking system
Production: approx. 28 million kWh/p.a.
(covers energy requirements of approx. 11,200 average households)
CO2 avoidance: 22,400 tons p.a.
Build begins: September 2007
