| Millennium
Towers Feature SunPower's A-300 Solar Cells in BIPV System
SunPower Corporation, a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high
efficiency, commercially available solar cells and solar panels, has
announced installation of its A-300 solar cells in a unique Building
Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) facade of the Millennium Towers high rise
in Battery Park City, located in lower Manhattan. The new Millennium Towers solar power system, built into the building's "skin," boasts 27.3 kWp or (DC) of peak power. The A-300 solar cells were integrated into curtain wall solar panels, replacing side building materials. This system, designed and supplied by altPOWER, uses 126 BIPV solar panels connected to an industrial sized PV inverter, and was partially funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). "New York City has become a hotbed for creative use of solar power in urban buildings. The major challenges facing this project were aesthetics and space, always key concerns in dense urban areas such as Battery Park City," said Anthony Pereira, president of altPOWER. "SunPower's A-300 solar cells were the perfect fit for this project, offering the most efficient modules, the ability to meet our specific space requirements and seamless integration into the curtain wall of the building." SunPower's A-300, high-efficiency solar cells offer an all-back contact construction that ensures no gridlines or tabs are visible on the front of the cells. With its all-black appearance, SunPower's A-300 solar cells increase the aesthetic value without any reflectance--all while maximizing the power generated per square foot of building area. This is the second building to be powered by SunPower's A-300 solar cells in New York City. The Tribeca Green, also in Battery Park City, opened its doors in 2005. In addition, SunPower's solar cells have been used with other BIPV curtain wall projects such as the Biohaus headquarters facade in Paderborn, Germany.
|
