Feb 7 2011
Sempra Generation, a division of Sempra Energy, will build a 150 MW large-scale solar plant, called Mesquite Solar 1, in Arizona.
As part of the project, Sempra will buy 800,000 multicrystalline silicon panels from Suntech, a Tempe-based manufacturing company.
Sempra is using First Solar’s panels and has already begun the production on two facilities in Nevada. Thin film panels were utilized for the projects that are less efficient and low-cost than standard photovoltaic systems.
Suntech plans to sell approximately 500 MW of panels for the US and Canada projects. The company included a second shift to its manufacturing facilities to fulfill the demand for panels.
According to the Chief Commercial Officer at Suntech, Andrew Beebe, the Mesquite plant demonstrates that crystalline photovoltaics would be a competitive choice for large-scale solar projects.