Delta's Solar Tracking Solution Contributes to Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project

News provided by

Feb 29, 2016, 01:00 ET

Fremont, Calif., Feb. 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Group today announced its participation in SolarReserve's Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, the world's largest concentrating solar power plant with integrated molten salt energy storage. A key part of the electricity generation operation, Delta's solar tracking solution offers industry leading performance and pointing accuracy to help synchronize and manage over 10,000 tracking mirrors, called heliostats. The heliostats reflect the sun's thermal energy to a receiver tower, resulting in the generation of clean renewable electricity. Now operational, the Crescent Dunes facility can produce more than 500 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year to power 75,000 homes during peak demand periods, even after sunset, using only the power of the sun.

"Delta's solar tracking solution offers industry leading performance and pointing accuracy, while using less energy to position the heliostats," said Kevin Smith, SolarReserve's Chief Executive Officer. "Our team worked closely with Delta's engineering to develop advanced tracking technology that helps boost overall plant performance."

"We are pleased to have worked together with SolarReserve on the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, which now generates clean renewable electricity to power 75,000 homes with zero emissions. The project fulfills Delta's long-standing mission to provide innovative, clean, and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow," said M.S. Huang, president of Delta Products Corporation. "It's a milestone for Delta in developing total solutions. This successful case uses Delta's solar tracking automation systems that combine a series of Delta's advanced technologies."

Delta's solar tracking automation systems are developed by its Industrial Automation team, and include programmable logic controllers (PLCs), servo motors, power conversion and networking products, and system management software. Delta's DVP-Series PLCs offer high-speed, stable, and highly reliable performance for all kinds of industrial automation machinery. Delta's control system and AC servo motors provide high-speed and high-precision motion control for a wide range of industrial automation applications.

SolarReserve's 110 megawatt Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project located in Nevada uses 10,347 billboard-sized tracking mirrors called heliostats, each with an on-board Delta solar tracking automation system, to precisely reflect and concentrate sunlight onto a large 100-foot receiver atop a 540-foot tower. Within the receiver, molten salt flows through piping and absorbs the heat from the concentrated sunlight. The collected sun's thermal energy heats the molten salt to over 1,050°F (566°C). After passing through the receiver, the molten salt flows down the piping inside the tower and into a thermal storage tank, where the energy is reserved as high-temperature molten salt until electricity is needed. The tank holds enough in storage to dispatch up to ten hours of electricity at nameplate capacity. When electricity is needed, even when the sun is not shining, the hot molten salt is used to generate high-quality superheated steam to drive a standard steam turbine.

Introduction video:

Delta Success Case - Solar tracking systems for SolarReserve's Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project

About SolarReserve

SolarReserve is a leading global developer of utility-scale solar power projects, which include electricity generation by solar thermal energy with energy storage, as well as photovoltaic panels. The company has more than $1.8 billion of projects in operation worldwide, with development and long-term power contracts for 482 megawatts of solar projects representing $2.8 billion of project capital. Since the company's formation in early 2008, SolarReserve's experienced team has assembled a pipeline of 8 gigawatts across the world's most attractive, high growth renewable energy markets. SolarReserve is headquartered in California and maintains a global presence with seven international offices to support widespread project development activities across more than 20 countries.

About Delta Americas

Delta Americas was established 33 years ago and has grown to over one thousand employees in recent years. Delta has offices, R&D centers, manufacturing, distribution and repair centers in multiple locations in the U.S., Mexico, and South America. In the U.S., operations are located in Fremont, Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Raleigh, Boston and Detroit to better serve its diverse customer base. Outside the U.S. Delta continues to expand its Americas operations in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Canada.

Delta Americas serves the IT, communications, industrial automation, renewable energy, lighting, power tool, automotive electric vehicle, and other major industries. Products include power electronics, DC brushless fans, visual displays, industrial automation, networking products, electronic components, consumer products, energy efficient and renewable energy products to name a few. The company is always striving to define new ways to improve the energy efficiency of its products through advanced research and product development. For more information, please visit: www.delta-americas.com

About Delta

Delta, founded in 1971, is a global leader in power and thermal management solutions and a major player in several product segments such as industrial automation, displays, and networking. Its mission statement, "To provide innovative, clean and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow," focuses on addressing key environmental issues such as global climate change. As an energy-saving solutions provider with core competencies in power electronics and innovative research and development, Delta's business domains include Power Electronics, Energy Management, and Smart Green Life. Delta has 114 sales offices, 56 R&D centers and 30 manufacturing facilities worldwide now.

Throughout its history, Delta has received many global awards and recognition for its business achievements, innovative technologies and dedication to corporate social responsibilities. Since 2011, Delta has been selected as a member of Dow Jones Sustainability^TM World Index (DJSI World) for 5 consecutive years. In 2014, Delta was ranked by CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) on the highest A-level of the Climate Performance Leadership Index (CPLI), and is the only one from nearly 2,000 listed companies in Greater China that makes to CPLI list.

Media Contact:

Vantage PR for Delta Americas
Sean Welch, +1-407-767-0452 ext. 228
[email protected]

SOURCE Delta Electronics