Apple's solar farm will have high-efficiency panels, to open as soon as October
The San Jose Mercury News uncovered Apple's filing, which reportedly reveals that San Jose-based SunPower had won the contract, on Tuesday. Apple apparently plans to self-finance the project and is aiming for at least 14 photovoltaic installations on the solar farm.
"Each of the photovoltaic installations will consist of multiple SunPower E20 435-watt photovoltaic modules on ground-mounted single axis tracking systems," the Cupertino, Calif., company's filing with the North Carolina Utilities Commission read.
Both Apple and SunPower declined to comment on the report.
Apple did, however, reveal last month in a Facilities Environmental Report that its North Carolina facilities will represent the largest solar and fuel cell end user-owned plants in the U.S. when they are finished. According to the company, the data center will draw a "high percentage" of renewable energy for its power needs.
Using Apple's own figures, environmental activist group Greenpeace has estimated that the solar farm and fuel cell installation will provide just 9.8 percent of the data center's energy demands.
People familiar with the matter indicated to AppleInsider last year that Leaf Solar Power would also be involved in the project, though the company's exact involvement was not immediately apparent. Bloom Energy is believed to be providing the fuel cells for the facility.
Apple's Maiden data center is a 500,000 square-foot facility and the largest in the region. The company has said the server farm supports its iTunes and iCloud services.
Last month, Apple revealed plans to build another "green" data center, this time in Prineville, Oregon. The company declined to confirm further details of the project, though country records show that Apple has purchased a 160-acre plot of land for $5.6 million.
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..."Each of the photovoltaic installations will consist of multiple SunPower E20 435-watt photovoltaic modules on ground-mounted single axis tracking systems," the Cupertino, Calif., company's filing with the North Carolina Utilities Commission read.
To me, the big news is that the panels will track the sun. Even though only on single axis mounts, the efficiency of the system will be at a nice premium over the statically mounted panels used almost exclusively in non-dedicated solar power systems such as in homes.
Seriously do we expect Apple to go out and shop for low efficiency panels? Fact is solar electric is still marginal as far as cost effectiveness goes so you need to implement the best tech available to have any hope of having competitive power.
All of this does make me wonder why no attempt at wind power has been made. Maybe the sight is bad for that but Wind power is at least economical.
Sorry, but this could not be further from the truth. Solar power is economical today. Please do some research before spouting off nonsense as gospel, please. You seem to acknowledge the center is poorly located for wind power and yet somehow believe it's more economical than solar. Not sure where your brain is at.
Seriously do we expect Apple to go out and shop for low efficiency panels? Fact is solar electric is still marginal as far as cost effectiveness goes so you need to implement the best tech available to have any hope of having competitive power.
All of this does make me wonder why no attempt at wind power has been made. Maybe the sight is bad for that but Wind power is at least economical.
Solar power actually pays off in a matter of a few years from the initial investment even for private use. Given the high usage these panels will get, they will pay off quickly enough. As for the actual payoff in terms of reduced carbon emissions however, it's not quite as good. But then so is wind power, which has a lot of gray energy before actually being productive itself.
Last but not least, this is first and foremost an example which others hopefully will follow.
Sorry, but this could not be further from the truth. Solar power is economical today. Please do some research before spouting off nonsense as gospel, please. You seem to acknowledge the center is poorly located for wind power and yet somehow believe it's more economical than solar. Not sure where your brain is at.
I buy and install solar panels for a living. If you've ever read an article on the topic on the Wikipedia, I probably wrote it.
Sorry, but PV is *not* competitive. Right now it costs about 25 cents a kWh, which is almost certainly more than what you pay for retail electricity where you are, let alone on the wholesale side. Wind is generally quoted at 12 cents.
The difference, of course, is that PV continues to fall in price at a rate never before seen in the history of power. The introduction of advanced generators in the late 1800s is the closest one comes, as they improved the efficiency about 10 times over a period of 15 years. For comparison, the price of PV has fallen 70% in the last two years, which represents a much faster rate.
So then the question for everyone is whether or not this rate will continue. If it does, then PV will be about 15 cents in 2015/6, and 10 cents in 2020. Then it is indeed economical, practically anywhere. Time will tell.