Arizona-based utility Tucson Electric Power (TEP) says it has modified an existing agreement with SunPower Corp. to incorporate 6 MW of its new C7 Tracker technology into a planned facility that will also include 2 MW of SunPower's T5 Solar Roof Tile technology.
The project, which will be owned by TEP, will assist the company in reaching its goal of incorporating more than 200 MW of solar energy into its system by the end of 2013.
The C7 Tracker combines single-axis tracking technology with rows of parabolic mirrors, reflecting light onto what the company says are 22.8% efficient SunPower Maxeon solar cells. The C7 Tracker includes modular solar cell receivers, allowing for future performance upgrades, SunPower notes.
In addition, the SunPower advanced Tracker Monitoring and Control System provides wireless control of the power plant. The C7 Tracker is ideal for regions with high solar irradiance through direct sunlight, including the U.S. Southwest and areas of the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia, according to SunPower.
