World's
second utility-scale Parabolic Dish with Stirling Engine (PDSE) plant is about
to start its deployment in the US .
Next month, Infinia will install the first PowerDish
on site, and 430 dishes and six months later, it's expected to achieve a 1.5 MW
plant.
This is the second attempt to deploy a utility-scale
PDSE plant, after Tessera Solar commissioned the -now decommissioned- Maricopa
plant and failed to develop other large-scale plants of roughly 500 MW.
In this case, Infinia has developed a 'small-size'
parabolic dish with a 3.5 kW Stirling engine. The
PowerDish, as it's commercially known, is a 6.7 m diameter and 7 m tall dish with a
proprietary free-piston Stirling engine and an
overall weight of 1,500 kg
-that's why we have quoted 'small-size'-.
This long-time awaited deployment of the PDSE
technology will take place at the Tooele Army Depot in Utah ,
Colorado . The
project will de deployed under an initiative of US' Department of Defense to
procure or produce no less than a 25% of renewable electric energy by 2025.
Within that initiative, the Air Force, Navy, and Army
have established their respective task force to each manage the deployment of
up to 1GW of renewable energy by 2025. The program aims to leverage off of the
private sector’s capital and tax benefits, sign long term Power Purchase
Agreements (PPA’s) and Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPC’s) to develop
significant and sustainable energy programs within the nation’s military
services.
The initiative also includes the Buy American
Provision requiring goods acquired and used under the program to be produced in
America .
"Infinia PowerDish components are all made in the USA , and Infinia’s manufacturing headquarters in
Ogden , Utah
further satisfies the requirement", states Charlie Walker, Director of
Sales.
Guy Letendre, VP Business Development explains their approach to this
technology
The core of the PowerDish lies in Infinia’s free
piston Stirling generator. A proprietary
technology, Infinia’s Stirling generator can
uniquely convert a variety of heat sources like solar, biogas, and natural gas
into electrical energy.
Infinia has been perfecting this technology since
1985. What’s unique is that no moving parts in the free piston Stirling generator touch, it does not need water, and
once the generator is made, it is hermetically sealed so it will literally run
for 25 years, maintenance free.
Infinia’s Stirling
technology is proven. To date, our generators have over 1.5 million operating
hours, and have had successful applications in everything from artificial
hearts to space probes, and now – solar power generation.
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