February - March 2008
sunpower of san jose
Editor’s note: To celebrate a sharp turn toward non-oil energy, Building Management Hawaii contacted some leaders in the islands’ alternative energy industry. Maybe it’s time you started thinking solar… wind… leading edge thoughts.
By Alvin Koo
SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR) designs, manufactures and delivers high-performance solar electric systems worldwide for residential, commercial and utility-scale power plant customers.
‘SunPower high-efficiency solar cells and solar panels generate up to 50 percent more power than conventional solar technologies and have a uniquely attractive, all-black appearance.
‘With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe and Asia. SunPower is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE: CY).’
So says this company’s investor relations web page.
In Hawaii, SunPower is both a contractor and manufacturer.
In the PV world, it is one of the most vertically integrated companies in the world with wafers, modules, integration, installation, and financing.
They worked with Mauna Lani Resorts to make the hotel the first commercially-financed photovoltaic system in the state in 1998. That first effort was for 90 kW, good enough to power about 90 homes. Since then, Mauna Lani has become a leader in Hawaii with five more projects giving them a total of 674 kW of power.
SunPower here has also provided systems to Parker Ranch, Harley Davidson on Oahu, the US Navy on Ford Island and Castle & Cooke on Lanai.
The
shift toward solar has accelerated since 2005 when the Federal government
increased tax credits from 10 to 30 percent and the price of oil was a
mere $35 a barrel, says Riley Saito, senior manager of Hawaii projects
for SunPower.
In addition, the cost of residential electricity on the Big Island is about $.35 per kilowatt-hour, compared to about $.19 on Oahu., says Saito.
The company produces systems, panels and special tracking panels that follow the sun across the sky.
The Mauna Lani has 19,000 square feet of solar panels on the roof of the hotel, producing 217 kW of electricity. Its golf facilities building has another 14,000 square feet of PV with a 140 kW rating.
In addition, the hotel has three acres of a ground-mounted tracking system for its water pumping facility, good for 288 kW. The tracking system maximizes the sun’s available energy and captures 30 percent more sunlight than fixed arrays.
SunPower estimates that over the 30-year lifetime of the system, emissions of carbon dioxide will be reduced by almost 2,700 tons.
The hotel even has panels over its Watsu Massage Bath and on its golf cart canopies. The 162 cars produce 23 kW of energy, equal to 12 barrels of oil or 2,200 pounds of coals over its life.
You do the math.
At Parker Ranch, SunPower has two acres of a solar tracking system that, along with five wind turnbines, powers all the pumps providing drinking water for livestock in the Mauna Kea, Mana and Keamuku grazing areas.
Over the life of the project, the system will replace 70,000 barrels of imported oil.
At Ford Island, SunPower installed 1,545 solar tiles on historic Building 54.
The tiles fit together with interlocking tongue and groove sides that
make them provide thermal insulation and UV protection.
The bottom line: decreased cooling energy costs and extended roof life.
Alvin Koo has been a writer and public relations practitioner in Hawai‘i for 30 years. His book “Stuff Nobody Told Me” can be found at http://papaalhawaii.htohananet.com/stuff.htm.
