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Global Solar to add 1 MW to Tucson Electric's 2.4 MW PV site

PV manufacturer and integrator Global Solar Energy has signed a contract with Tucson Electric Power (TEP) to add more than 1 MW by September to the Arizona utility's 2.4 PV system near its Springerville coal-fired generating station.

	© Global Solar Energy
Battlefield: Global Solar will reinforce its PV troops by expanding the Tucson Electric Power site in Springerville to 3.4 MW.

Scott Kaminky, Global Solar's director of business development, says the Feb. 10 decision by TEP, a majority owner of Global Solar, to expand the site was driven by the solar component in Arizona's renewable portfolio standard (see PI 6/2000, p. 25). The expansion will include just over 800 kW of RWE Schott Solar ASE 300 modules and at least 250 kW of First Solar CdTe FS-50 modules. Xantrex inverters will be used, adds Kaminky. Global Solar has been responsible for installing the entire site so far.

Headquartered in Tucson, Global Solar has been pursuing the production of CIGS thin-film modules since 2000 (see PI 2/2000, p.21). While earlier plans called for the production of 1.5 MW by the end of 2000, like most other thin-film start-ups Global Solar needed longer to ramp up than anticipated. After producing 20 kW in 2001, it reached 200 kW in 2002 and anticipates 2.2 MW in 2003 (see article, p. 44). Used mostly for lightweight, portable applications, the CIGS modules are being considered for any future expansion of the Springerville site, says Kaminky.