SANYO Partners With PV Trackers to Provide Efficient Solar PV Systems for Utilities

DALLAS, Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SANYO North America Corporation (SANYO) announces their partnership with PV Trackers, manufacturer of solar ground-mounted tracking systems. The combined systems provide the world's most efficient Solar PV System for large commercial and utility scale systems. The added efficiencies allow power plants to achieve the lowest cost per MWh in the industry on a ground-mounted system. The high efficiency is achieved by the output of 32 SANYO HIT Power Panels mounted on PV Trackers 7.2DX Dual-Axis Tracking System that follows the sun. A demonstration of the SANYO-PV Trackers system (partial) will be exhibited in Booth #125-OD at Solar Power International, Dallas, October 18-20.  SANYO will also have a booth showcasing their PV panels inside the Convention Center in Booth #2508.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111013/LA85632)

The high level efficiency of SANYO's HIT solar panels comes from the combination of single crystalline silicon and amorphous silicon technologies to create a hybrid technology (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin Layer) providing independently-certified cell conversion efficiencies of 20.2%, module efficiencies of 17.8% in its most recently announced 225-watt panels. This high efficiency maximizes the power capacity of the available space, resulting in a cost reduction of the total solar system.

PV Trackers is a ground-mounted system that moves the solar panels so they are always facing the sun. PV Trackers, when combined with SANYO HIT solar panels, will be the most efficient system and increase megawatt-hour production levels by approximately 40-50% in comparison to a fixed-rack system.

"We are focused on providing utilities the best opportunities to increase power production from renewable sources like SANYO's high efficiency panels," said Charles Hanasaki, president of the Solar & Smart Energy Division. "PV Trackers system, when combined with our panels, will add increased clean energy production by maximizing the energy of the sun for all hours of sunlight during the day."

The San Benito Smart Park LLC will be installing the first utility scale system in Hollister, CA using 7,488 SANYO Solar Panels with the PV Trackers Dual-Axis Tracking System. Construction will finish in the first quarter of 2012 and interconnect to the grid shortly thereafter. PG&E will be buying the electricity from the owner of the installation.

President of San Benito Smart Park LLC, Steve Rumbaugh states, "Our goal was to provide a low cost per MWh price to PG&E for purchase. This goal could only be met by using the SANYO HIT & PV Trackers combination. As the solar industry evolves, other developers will realize that this is the winning combination for the lowest cost per megawatt hour installed."

"We are very pleased about the partnership between PV Trackers and SANYO. The bundling of our technologies will allow Panasonic/SANYO PV power plants to deliver peak power all day long. This combination will produce the lowest cost MWh while maintaining the highest standards of reliability and efficiency," said Bill Taylor, CEO of PV Trackers.

About HIT POWER

HIT stands for Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer. HIT solar cells employ a proprietary technology developed by SANYO whereby hybrid solar cells composed of single crystalline silicon wafers are surrounded by ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers. The unique structure minimizes defects within the p/n junction of the cell, producing highly efficient cells capable of achieving up to 17.4% module efficiency while producing more power even at higher temperatures.

About SANYO

SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., a member of the Panasonic Group, is a global company with leading energy and environmental technology and products for commercial and consumer use. Solar & Smart Energy, a division of SANYO North America Corporation (a subsidiary of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.), is based in Cupertino, California, and handles sales and services for photovoltaic and Smart Energy Systems. For further information, please visit SANYO's web site at http://us.SANYO.com.

About PV Trackers

PV Trackers has had an unparalleled impact on deployed renewable energy for the past 18 years. Founder, Bill Taylor, and his team have designed and developed class-defining renewable energy technologies that have been deployed in installations totaling in the hundreds of megawatts. With a history in wind turbines, solar inverters, motor controls, fuel cells, silicon fabrications and much more, the PV Trackers team has come together to design, develop and implement innovative, market-leading PV solutions for our partners. PV Trackers is dedicated to successful, cost-effective solar installations. Learn more at http://www.pvtrackers.com/about.aspx.

© 2011 SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. SANYO and HIT are registered trademarks of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.

SOURCE SANYO North America Corporation