By Greentech Lead America: Cogentrix Energy, a developer,
owner and operator of independent power in North America, has commissioned 30
megawatts Alamosa Solar Generating plant at San Luis Valley, Colorado. The
clean energy generated by the plant will used by customers of Xcel Energy’s
subsidiary, Public Service Company of Colorado (“PSCo”).
Cogentrix claims that Alamosa is the largest concentrating
photovoltaic electric power generating facility in the world. The San
Luis Valley was chosen for its’ outstanding sunlight characteristics, high
elevation and an ability to easily deliver the solar project’s output to the
utility transmission system.
The Alamosa Solar project spreads over 225 acres and
consists of over 500 dual-axis, pedestal mounted tracker assemblies. Each
tracker assembly has the capacity to produce approximately 60 kW of solar power.
Each tracker assembly is 70 feet wide by 50 feet high and
contains 7,560 Fresnel lenses that concentrate sunlight by a multiple of 500
onto multijunction solar cells developed originally as part of the US space
program. M.A. Mortenson was the construction contractor of the facility.
“Cogentrix has a long history of developing,
constructing, and operating power plants employing a variety of technologies.
We’re proud of the Alamosa Solar project and we are excited for what it means
to Colorado, Xcel Energy and the US solar sector,” said Tom Bonner,
president of Cogentrix.