DALLAS --- Reporting from the Solar Power International tradeshow.
Energy Innovations is still figuring out where high-concentration photovoltaics can work effectively in a world where the price of crystalline silicon modules continues to plunge.
I passed by their booth today and spent a few minutes speaking to the firm's CEO, Joseph Budano. The firm still has Idealab and MDV as investors, as well as a strong board -- and a lot of tenacity as they soldier on and search for the right applications for CPV.
The firm provides options including a ground mount, a roof mount, and a carport assembly for their 2-axis CPV assemblies.
Ground mount is traditional:
Roof mount is not so traditional, but a bit reminiscent of the sad saga of Soliant:
And a carport is pretty imaginative:
This particular carport is in Palm Desert, California and is 300 kilowatts peak of CPV. Each unit is a compact 300 watts and, like all triple-junction cell-based systems, performs better than silicon in high heat.
We've long maintained that CPV is a niche product, albeit with some potentially large niches. And carports in high DNI areas is not a bad niche.