Solar Novus Today
Hydro Aluminum Supports CPV Plant in Latin America
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
2 min read
A precision-extruded aluminum framing system manufactured by Hydro, a global supplier of aluminum and aluminum products, has been installed at a 500-kilowatt electric generation facility in Durango, Mexico, the largest concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar facility in Latin America.
Located about 550 miles north of Mexico City, the Durango site is already designated to expand to 10 megawatts total capacity in the near future.
The solar plant comprises 184 Skyline Solar X14 arrays. It uses parabolic mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto crystalline silicon PV cells. These arrays are mounted on extruded aluminum space-frames that raise them off the ground and allow them to track the sun through its daily east-west arc. Extruded aluminum was chosen for the frame structures because it provides efficient material utilization, low capital costs and short development times. Aluminum is corrosion-resistant and provides high stiffness to resist wind, improving this system’s accuracy and robustness.
Skyline Solar manufactures integrated concentrated photovoltaic systems, incorporating industry-proven silicon cells, durable mirrors and single-axis tracking. The company was founded in 2007 and is funded by NEA and other investors. It has been awarded contracts by the US Department of Energy and Department of Defense. Skyline Solar has 11 patents to date on its CPV architecture.
Hydro Extrusion North America is a unit of Norsk Hydro, a global supplier of aluminum and aluminum products. Based in Norway, the company employs 23,000 people in 40 countries and has activities on all continents. In North America, Hydro is a leading provider of extruded aluminum solutions including supply sourcing, extrusion, finishing, and fabrication of components, as well as contract manufacturing services, for a variety of industries.
Located about 550 miles north of Mexico City, the Durango site is already designated to expand to 10 megawatts total capacity in the near future.
The solar plant comprises 184 Skyline Solar X14 arrays. It uses parabolic mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto crystalline silicon PV cells. These arrays are mounted on extruded aluminum space-frames that raise them off the ground and allow them to track the sun through its daily east-west arc. Extruded aluminum was chosen for the frame structures because it provides efficient material utilization, low capital costs and short development times. Aluminum is corrosion-resistant and provides high stiffness to resist wind, improving this system’s accuracy and robustness.
Skyline Solar manufactures integrated concentrated photovoltaic systems, incorporating industry-proven silicon cells, durable mirrors and single-axis tracking. The company was founded in 2007 and is funded by NEA and other investors. It has been awarded contracts by the US Department of Energy and Department of Defense. Skyline Solar has 11 patents to date on its CPV architecture.
Hydro Extrusion North America is a unit of Norsk Hydro, a global supplier of aluminum and aluminum products. Based in Norway, the company employs 23,000 people in 40 countries and has activities on all continents. In North America, Hydro is a leading provider of extruded aluminum solutions including supply sourcing, extrusion, finishing, and fabrication of components, as well as contract manufacturing services, for a variety of industries.
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