September 19, 2008

Largest solar power system deployed on corporate campus in U.S.

By Gina Roos

Silicon Valley, Calif. — Applied Materials and SunPower Corp. have completed the deployment of two SunPower solar power systems totaling 2.1 megawatts at Applied Materials' corporate facilities in Sunnyvale, California. The systems reportedly represent the largest solar power deployment at a corporate facility in the United States.

The system includes a 950-kilowatt SunPower PowerGuard installation and a 1.2-megawatt SunPower Tracker installation atop an elevated parking canopy. The SunPower Tracker follows the sun as it moves across the sky, increasing sunlight capture by up to 25 percent over conventional fixed-tilt systems, according to the companies. Both systems use SunPower solar panels. SunPower uses Applied Materials' Baccini technology in its solar cell manufacturing process.

Since the first phase of installation in November 2007, Applied reports that its solar installation has generated 1,413 megawatt hours of power. The system is expected to replace more than 2,700 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, which is equivalent to the annual carbon emissions from approximately 450 passenger cars.

Applied's investment is supported by the federal investment tax credit (ITC) that encourages deployment of renewable energy systems across the U.S. Due to expire at the end of 2008, Congress is now considering legislation to extend the ITC.