Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin has officially completed the Solar System Test and Engineering Site, a solar energy testbed located in southern New Jersey. The testbed is designed to enable Lockheed Martin engineers to integrate and test a variety of solar technologies in a high-fidelity test environment.
Design and construction of the testbed began in early 2008. The completed facility is a full-scale, functional solar collector assembly, 100 meters long and three stories high, consisting of highly reflective mirrors and solar receivers.
‘Through this solar field testbed, we're applying for the utilities the same systems engineering and disciplined integration approach that we do for all of our domestic and international customers,’ says Chris Myers, vice president for solar energy programs at Lockheed Martin.
‘Utility-scale solar power is another way our highly skilled workforce can help solve a critical security challenge facing our nation,’ he continues. ‘The testbed enables us to validate solar collector technologies and optimize our production skills.’
SOURCE: Lockheed Martin
