Concentrix Solar joins Desertec Industrial Initiative (Dii) as associated partner

FREIBURG IM BREISGAU, GERMANY: Concentrix Solar, a leading supplier of Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) systems and a division of the Soitec Group (Euronext Paris), has joined the Desertec Industrial Initiative (Dii) as Associated Partner.

With this announcement, Concentrix Solar is paving the way to utility-scale CPV projects in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The Dii was launched in July 2009 to provide a framework for investments to supply the MENA region and Europe with power produced using solar and wind energy sources.

"We are looking forward to working with Desertec and the countries in the MENA region," said Concentrix Solar CEO, Hansjorg Lerchenmuller. "Our CPV technology is extremely efficient, modular, flexible and very well-suited to the needs and challenges of the MENA region. As the first CPV company to join the Desertec technology portfolio, we have an opportunity to make a significant contribution to the region's energy needs and the advancement of renewable energy sources."

CPV systems produce power with very high efficiency and output in hot, arid locations, thereby achieving a low levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Since they track the sun, they provide a consistent electricity production profile throughout the day. CPV power plants can be commissioned in phases, producing electricity as soon as the first systems are connected to the grid. These advantages, combined with their minimal space and water requirements, make CPV systems of particular interest for an ambitious, long-range project like Desertec.

Concentrix Solar manufactures very robust, high-efficiency CPV systems, and offers fully integrated system kits, turnkey CPV solutions and services for utility scale power plants. As a division of semiconductor expert Soitec, Concentrix's advances in multi-junction solar cells are also supported by the world-renowned Fraunhofer ISE and CEA-Leti R&D labs. CPV systems are currently produced in a large volume, fully-automated factory in Freiburg, Germany, scalable to fulfill rising demand for utility-scale power plants.

Desertec Industrial Initiative
Desertec Industries is a unique initiative which was launched as the 'Desertec Industrial Initiative' in July 2009. The initiative was founded to pave the way for the establishment of a framework for investments to supply the MENA region and Europe with power produced using solar and wind energy sources. The long-term goal is to satisfy a substantial part of the energy needs of the MENA countries and meet as much as 15 percent of Europe's electricity demand by 2050.

Desertec Industries was founded under German law as a GmbH (limited liability company) in Munich on 30 October 2009. The company currently consists of 17 shareholders from eight countries and is supported by associated partners from all industry sectors, proof of industry's willingness to drive the transition to renewable energies, set in motion a long-term development, and foster new business potential.