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Future Energy
World's largest rooftop solar power station being built in Zaragoza
By
Nov 2, 2008 - 1:14:48 PM
World's largest rooftop solar power station being built
in Zaragoza. GM, Veolia Environnement, Clairvoyant, Aragon Join Forces on Solar
Energy
Veolia
Environnement and Clairvoyant Energy are building a solar power station with a
capacity of 10 Mega Watts at GM's Zaragoza plant, which assembles more than
480.000 vehicles a year. As part of the scheme initiated by GM, the rooftop
power station will be owned and operated by a joint-venture company comprised of
Veolia Environnement, Clairvoyant Energy and the Government of Aragon.
Annual
output from the photovoltaic solar power station at Figueruelas near Zaragoza is
expected to be 15.1 million kWh, sufficient to meet the demand of 4,600
households with an average annual consumption of 3,300 kWh.
Operational at
the end of September, 2008, the rooftop power station will feed electric current
into the local grid of Red Electrica and sell the energy to Endesa.
The
massive solar array designed by Veolia Environnement and Clairvoyant will
consist of 85,000 light-weight solar modules with an active photovoltaic surface
area of 183,000 square meters and provide for an annual reduction in
CO2-emissions of 6,700 tons.
The solar power station on the roof of
the Zaragoza plant is the third one on GM facilities worldwide. “GM’s Zaragoza
plant will become home of the biggest rooftop solar power station worldwide.
This has significant potential to reduce costs at the plant, and we will
evaluate the results of the Zaragoza rooftop power station for possible similar
energy projects at GM Europe’s 11 assembly plants and eight component plants.
Underlining our vital commitment to environmental compatibility, this solar
energy project links to GM’s larger advanced technology strategy that supports
extended range electric vehicles and the use of alternative energy for
propulsion,” said GM Europe President Carl-Peter Forster.
For Veolia
Environnement, world leader in environmental services, this operation is a
perfect illustration of its ability to accompany its industrial customers in
their most ambitious projects, while developing precious expertise in the solar
energy field. It demonstrates how environmentally-friendly solutions can be
economically viable for customers. For this large and complex project, Veolia
Environnement applies its technical and overall management expertise in the
engineering, construction, approval process phases, as well as system operations
maintenance.
CEO Henri Proglio stated: “Our ambition is to develop such joint
projects, relying on innovative process, and bringing tangible value to our
clients for their environmental strategy.”
David Hardee, CEO of Clairvoyant
Energy, said: “Our company goal is to create parity of solar electricity
solutions as compared to fossil fuel electricity processes by 2014. The way to
get there is lower costs and higher efficiency. In this project, we are lowering
our installation costs by using Uni-Solar® laminates and our solar installation
with Velcro® hook-and-loop panel attachment system. We are installing panels at
a rate of almost 2,000 per day. More importantly, we answered GM´s requirements
regarding the roof top solar system: removable, light-weight, able to withstand
hurricane type force winds and no roof penetrations. Through this project, we
continue to fund our research and development efforts that have already led to
new innovations and lower cost solutions for future projects”.
For the
government of Aragon the rooftop solar power station is an important pilot
project towards the large scale use of solar energy: “The decision to locate
this European reference project at the manufacturing plant in Figueruelas close
to Zaragoza is of great importance. The project partners make pace for a new
energetic balance for Aragon and for Spain. The biggest rooftop solar power
station worldwide being built in Aragon is another proofpoint for the leadership
of this region in terms of renewable energy,” said Arturo Aliaga, the Aragon
Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism.
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