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Saguaro Solar Power Plant Shines with More Awards
Phoenix, AZ - Accolades for APS' recently-opened Saguaro Solar Power Plant just keep on coming. The facility was named Energy Project of the Year by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). This honor comes on the heels of the facility being named one of the top 12 power plants in the world by Power Magazine. "This project is being recognized for its innovation and ability to improve the feasibility of solar energy," said Carl Salas, chairman of AEE's awards committee, when presenting the award to APS during a special ceremony on Sept. 14 in Washington, D.C. Located near Red Rock, Ariz., the one-megawatt plant is the first solar trough generator in the state and the first solar trough built in the United States in almost 20 years. Unlike a photovoltaic solar plant, which uses sunlight to produce electricity, a solar trough uses heat from the sun to create electricity. The sun heats oil, which is then used to drive a turbine/generator. This technology can easily be combined with a storage facility, allowing it to hold energy, and to provide electricity when needed-not just when the sun is shining (traditional solar plants are unable to store energy). "The Saguaro Solar Power Plant is another chapter in APS' history of bringing clean renewable energy sources to Arizona's growing population," said Ed Fox, APS' Vice President of Communications, Environment and Safety, referring to the company's long standing commitment toward harnessing the energy from the sun. In 1954 APS helped to organize and bring to Phoenix the first international solar energy conference and in 1988, opened the world-renowned Solar Test and Research Center in Tempe, Ariz. The APS Saguaro Solar Power Plant also is the first to combine solar trough technology with an Organic Rankine Cycle Power Block, typically used in geothermal and biomass applications. The block allows the plant to produce more power at lower temperatures. AEE is an industry source for information on the dynamic field of energy efficiency, utility deregulation, facility management, plant engineering, and environmental compliance. APS, Arizona's largest and longest-serving electricity utility, serves more than 1 million customers in 11 of the state's 15 counties. With headquarters in Phoenix, APS is the largest subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corp (NYSE: PNW). -30- Contact:
Steven Gotfried |
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