SOLAR TODAY Blog

Yuma, Ariz. ― Arizona Western College and PPA Partners of Morgan Hill, Calif., have announced plans for a 5-megawatt multi-technology solar project on the Yuma campus. It will be comprised of five commercially viable photovoltaic (PV) technologies, all optimized by tracking systems. The farm will use high-concentration, low-concentration, thin-film, monocrystalline and polycrystalline arrays.

Technology partners have not been announced, but PPA Partners says it’s in discussions with Sol Focus, Skyline Solar, Signet Solar, Del Solar, Ray Tracker and Satcon. Draker Laboratories will provide the monitoring system, and the data stream is viewed as key to the project’s research and educational mission.

“We know of no other solar project where all five technologies are showcased at utility scale, installed by the same group, at the same time, with the same equipment, tracked and optimized, under the best solar resource in the country,” said Bruce Mercy, CEO of PPA Partners. “The data generated by the project should be very interesting. We should be able to get to a level of detail unheard of in commercial systems. The data generated from the project will be comprised of meteorological, solar resource, energy harvest, and a host of other information from cell temperature, to string-level views, and be extremely valuable to researchers, manufacturers, utilities and other entities.”

“The data that will be available both in the classroom and to manufacturers give this array the potential to not only change the face of the economy in Yuma, but to impact solar education and research on a national and global level,” said Dr. Marc Nigliazzo, Arizona Western College’s president.

Satellite research projects up to 20 kilowatts in capacity will be accommodated on adjoining land. The college will launch a full solar curriculum, to award degrees at the certificate, associate and bachelor’s levels, and continuing education courses.

The project is expected to be the largest array at an American university. It will provide the college with 100 percent of its power.