Companies mentioned: Soitec, Sainte Rose de Lima Community Centre, The Sunidarity initiative, Solar Systems Pty Ltd , Silex Systems Limited, Nofa Equestrian Resort, KA Care

Soitec Plug & Play brought to Haiti community

A year after it was rebuilt, the Sainte Rose de Lima community centre, in the rural district of Palmary on Haiti's Central Plateau, now has a reliable power supply, as a Soitec Plug&Sun installation now provides independent solar-power generation by means of concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology.

The Sunidarity initiative, started by Soitec, makes it possible for non-profits, NGOs and foundations to receive Plug & Sun equipment for the benefit of their local development projects.

After being shipped and installed in Palmary in June 2013, the Plug&Sun(TM) equipment was entrusted to a local technician who will provide upkeep and maintenance services.

It has been supplying the villagers with electricity for several months, making it possible to recharge cell phones and light the community centre in the evenings, among other things. Children are able to do their homework and villagers can meet up.

Christine Murray, President of Zanmi Lasanté Paris, explains that "It was very important to provide a long-term electricity supply to this community. This in particular meant ensuring the security of the facility. The Plug&Sun(TM) solution proved ideal, because we were able to install the solar trackers on the flat roof of premises where we could install the other components, such as the batteries and the energy management console, inside."

She continues, "The electricity now being supplied to around 200 people encourages interaction with the outside world, not only through phone calls made from this cut off area, but also through education, thanks to the lighting, the use of computers and showing films. We are currently looking into drilling a well - in this cholera-affected region, access to clean water is a priority which is now made possible by solar power."

José Bériot, Soitec's head of project development for Europe and Africa said, "We are very proud to support this project. It fully reflects our firm belief in renewable energy generation and sustainable development. It also demonstrates that it is now possible, thanks to our concentrator photovoltaic technology, to optimize the generation of clean and renewable electricity in areas that receive a great deal of sunlight."

Solar Systems completes Saudi CPV project

Solar Systems Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Silex Systems Limited, has completed a 1MW solar power generation facility at the Nofa Equestrian Resort near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Completion of the 28 dish, diesel replacement facility marks an important milestone for Australia-based Solar Systems as the first international deployment of the company’s Dense Array CPV technology.

CEO Michael Goldsworthy explained in a release that the Solar Systems’ CPV technology was ideally suited to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The CEO also said that there are significant opportunities to develop solar projects in the Kingdom given that Saudi Arabia is keen to build 41GW of solar power over the next 20 years under a government sponsored competitive procurement programme to be administered by the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA CARE).