SunPower Corp partners Apple to provide solar power to China’s Sichuan region
17 Apr 2015
Taking its ambitions in solar power a step forward in the world's largest solar photovoltaic market, SunPower Corporation on Thursday announced plans to partner with Apple to build two solar power projects totaling 40 megawatts (MW) in ABA Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefectures in the Sichuan Province of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC).
On completion, the two projects would be co-owned by Sichuan Shengtian New Energy Development Co Ltd, SunPower's project development joint venture, and Apple.
The projects include Hongyuan Huanju Ecological Energy Co Ltd, (Hongyuan) located in Hongyuan County and Ruoergai Huanju Ecological Energy Co Ltd, (Zioge) located in Ruoergai County. Both are located in the ABA Prefecture and would produce 20 MW each.
The projects are under construction at the moment, and the Hongyuan project already had 2 MW connected to the grid utilising SunPower's LCPV tracker. The technology combined single-axis tracking technology with rows of parabolic mirrors, reflecting light onto high efficiency SunPower Maxeon cells, the world's most efficient available mass-produced solar cells. The projects are expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2015.
These are the first solar projects deployed in the ABA Region and would be expected to provide up to 80 million kilowatt-hours per year while also protecting the ecosystem. The projects would feature SunPower's unique "light-on-land" approach to solar photovoltaic power plant design and construction developed through its experience with over 2 gigawatts (GW) of power plant systems installed and operating globally. Utilising this innovative dual-use approach would allow pasture farming to continue while generating electricity.
The initiative would allow Apple to preserve 36,000 acres of "sustainable" timberland in Maine and North Carolina.
The initiatives come with the tech giant this year meeting a self-imposed goal of powering all its US operations with renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions - initiatives that had won high marks from environmental groups like Greenpeace.
The company also announced a new focus on the use of paper from trees harvested under environmentally sound conditions. It was also promising to use more renewable power overseas, where Apple relied heavily on contract manufacturers - and where a top executive acknowledged the company could do more.
"It's important to us to tackle climate change everywhere we are," Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president for environmental initiatives, told The Associated Press. "When you talk about China, you're talking about manufacturing partners. We're looking to bring the same innovation there. This is the start.''
