SolFocus and Samaras Group to Develop First Commercial Solar Project in Greece Using Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) Technology

ATHENS, Greece & MADRID, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SolFocus today announced an agreement with Concept, a division of the Samaras Group, to jointly develop the first commercial installation of Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) solar technology in the country of Greece. As part of the deployment, SolFocus will expand its Madrid-based European operations to open a subsidiary in Greece.

“As a respected developer of renewable energy, the Samaras Group has high expectations for technical performance”

Spanning multiple sites, the deployment will have the capacity to produce 1.6 megawatts peak (MWp) of power using the SolFocus 1100S system. The newly-released SF-1100S achieves unprecedented panel efficiencies of 25 percent, offering the highest energy yield of PV systems available today. In the first year of production, the system will have the capability to meet energy demands for a small town with approximately 2,500 residents while preventing the release of 2,800 tons of CO₂ emissions. The installation will begin in the spring of 2009 with the first delivery of power expected in the summer.

“This agreement is a strategic one for Samaras Group. SolFocus is a pioneer in the field of Renewable Energy Sources and a leading player in CPV in the United States and in Europe as well. I am very confident that this is only the beginning of a long term collaboration that will give us the opportunity to introduce this innovative technology in our country and other regions,” comments Dimitrios Samaras, President of Samaras Group.

“As a respected developer of renewable energy, the Samaras Group has high expectations for technical performance,” said Roberto de Diego Arozamena, President of SolFocus Europe. “The group’s selection of the new SolFocus system validates the real-world performance, efficiency and scalability of our technology. The project is further evidence of the immediate promise offered by CPV technology for developing clean energy sources with extremely low carbon emissions.”

“Our partnership will enable SolFocus to expand into the lucrative Greek market, which is boosted by favorable incentives and strong demand for electricity,” added Mark Crowley, President of SolFocus Inc. “We are extremely pleased to be taking this pioneering step with the Samaras Group who is well-known for advancing innovative technologies.”

The SolFocus CPV design employs a system of reflective optics to concentrate sunlight 500 times onto small, highly efficient solar cells. The SolFocus 1100S uses approximately 1/1,000th of the active, expensive solar cell material compared to traditional photovoltaic panels. In addition, the cells used in SolFocus CPV systems have over twice the efficiency of traditional silicon cells. In a solar-rich country like Greece, such efficiency means very high energy output which will accelerate the trajectory for solar energy to reach cost parity with fossil fuels.

SolFocus integrates its CPV panels with its advanced tracking system that continuously aligns the solar array with direct sunlight throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky. The tracking capability of the SolFocus 1100S results in energy generation ideally matched to peak demand periods.

The project follows the announcement of a SolFocus project with EMPE Solar, which will deploy the same solar technology in a 10 MW development in Spain. The project is expected to be the largest deployment of CPV technology in Europe.

About SolFocus

The SolFocus mission is to enable solar energy generation at a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) competitive with traditional fossil fuel sources. To achieve this goal, SolFocus has developed leading Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) technology which combines high-efficiency solar cells (approaching 40%) and advanced optics to provide solar energy solutions which are scalable, dependable and capable of delivering on the promise of clean, low-cost, renewable energy. SolFocus is headquartered in Mountain View, California with European operations headquartered in Madrid, Spain, and manufacturing in Mesa, Arizona as well as with manufacturing partners in India and China.

About Samaras Group

Samaras Group is a leading Greek company, founded in 1992, providing vertically organized consultancy services with specialization in the development of Renewable Energy development projects and electromechanical installations. The company is mainly focused on the private sector, but it also participates in developmental and investment projects of the Greek State as well as public enterprises. Samaras Group is headquartered in Thessaloniki, Greece and has more than 80 employees, a majority of which are experienced engineers of all specialties.