Alliance for Sustainable Energy joins SolarTAC

AURORA, USA: The Solar Technology Acceleration Center (SolarTAC),the nation's largest solar energy technology testing facility, announces the addition of the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (Alliance), which manages and operates the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), as a sponsoring member.

Located in Colorado, near Denver International Airport, SolarTAC is a private, member-based, 74-acre outdoor facility where the solar industry tests, validates, and demonstrates advanced solar technologies. SolarTAC was launched in 2008 by a public-private consortium, including Midwest Research Institute (MRI), which is a governing member of the Alliance.

SolarTAC members can work alone or with other members on research and demonstration projects, as well as fully integrated solar systems before commercial deployment. Solar energy companies also can use the facility to show customers how their systems work under real conditions. The facility provides field-testing for both photovoltaic and concentrated solar power systems, including access to the electricity grid.

The Alliance recently signed a membership agreement with SolarTAC on behalf of NREL. Through this membership, NREL researchers gain access to a collaborative commercial-scale facility that is newer and more extensive than facilities at its research campus 20 miles to the west in Golden, CO.

SolarTAC will help advance the Laboratory's goal to accelerate the commercial adoption of solar energy technologies and enhance the Laboratory's critical role in developing and testing the next generation of solar energy technologies.

"SolarTAC's 'kick-the-tires' environment provides an unprecedented opportunity for first-hand observation and evaluation of solar technology performance under real-world conditions," said Casey Porto, NREL's Senior Vice President of Commercialization and Deployment.

"This membership with the Alliance provides SolarTAC with a world-class scientific partner for solar research and development," said SolarTAC's Executive Director Dustin T. Smith. "It is a significant step toward our memberships' goal of accelerating utility-scale solar technologies into the marketplace."

SolarTAC originated when six public and private sector entities -- Abengoa Solar, the City of Aurora, the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory, Midwest Research Institute (MRI), SunEdison, and Xcel Energy -- joined forces to establish a site where member companies can bring their early commercial or near-commercial stage solar technologies for testing and demonstration under actual field conditions.