Satcon selected for 25 solar installations in Greece

BOSTON, USA: Satcon Technology Corp., a leading provider of utility scale power solutions for the renewable energy market, has been selected by EasyPower S.A. to supply 2.5 megawatts of its PowerGate Plus 100 kilowatt solar PV inverter solutions across 25 installations on the island of Rhodes, Greece.

The solar power plants will be developed and constructed by EasyPower S.A. and are expected to generate enough solar energy to supply 1.2 percent of the islands electricity demand. The installations will be owned by EasySolar S.A., RNA Power S.A., and Diachrisi Iliakis Energeias S.A. as part of a 2.5MW project.

At present, the island’s power is made by diesel generators which can produce up to 194.4MW during peak demand periods. Rhodes’ energy consumption surges during the summer months as the population of the island swells by 300 percent. The solar installations will provide critical peak demand support, enhancing grid stability while delivering cost effective renewable energy for the population in addition to supporting the island’s year round base load demands.

“The project in Rhodes presents unique design challenges that require we develop a complete solution that can be scaled across 25 distributed locations,” said Nikos Savouris of EasyPower.

“Each power plant can directly contribute to the stability of the entire island’s power grid. With this in mind, and with the responsibility of providing reliable and cost effective energy for community of the island, we designed a system that will enhance each plant’s performance, along with its stability and durability, while reducing the carbon footprint from electricity production on the island throughout the years.”

Each plant is composed of Satcon’s PowerGate Plus solutions, combined with two-axis trackers and high efficiency monocrystalline modules and could generate in excess of 225,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually.

“Satcon’s proven technology, their innovative features, and their ability to address the particular requirements of the local grid made their PowerGate Plus solutions the obvious choice for us,” continued Savouris. “We expect that, based on our previous experience with other Satcon projects, we will maximize the performance and durability of these power stations and exceed investor expectations.”

“These installations demonstrate the increased penetration of large scale solar power generation into today’s island and urban energy grids,” said Peter Deege, Satcon’s General Manager for Europe. “Our experience in utility scale and island grid solar solutions combined with EasyPower’s design, engineering and construction expertise will ensure that these solar plants are a secure and cost effective renewable energy source for the island. We are honored to be selected by EasyPower.”