Chevron deploys CPV solar technology

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NEW MEXICO, Apr 21 (Commodity Online): Rising need for alternate fuels due to sky high petroleum prices have resulted in an anomaly where Chevron group has decided to evaluate economic viability of emerging concentrating solar photovoltaic (CPV) technology. Chevron, with its subsidiaries Chevron Mining Inc and Chevron Technology Venture, installed concentrating photovoltaic technology that uses lenses to collect and focus direct sunlight onto layers of high efficiency cells. This technology is known to work best in areas like Northern New Mexico where direct solar radiation is highest. The technology is installed at the molybdenum mine of Questa located in New Mexico. The Questa solar field covers approximately 20 acres and includes 173 solar trackers, each about 18 feet by 21 feet in size. The field includes Soitec's concentrator photovoltaic system and has the capacity to generate about one megawatt of electricity, enough to power about 300 New Mexico homes. The technology was first implemented in the solar fields of Puertallano in Spain.