San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG and E) and a subsidiary of CSOLAR Development have announced a 25-year contract for up to 150 megawatts (MW) of solar energy to be generated at the Imperial Solar Energy Center (ISEC) West's proposed 1,057-acre solar energy facility near El Centro, Calif. This project will create nearly 300 construction jobs in the Imperial Valley during the two-year construction period.

The solar power plant will use Soitec's Concentrix concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) technology. In connection with the project's 25-year contract, Soitec, a company with headquarters in Bernin, France, will build a new factory in the San Diego region to manufacture proprietary CPV modules.

With an annual production capacity of 200 MW, the new manufacturing facility will also have the ability to supply other utility-scale solar power projects throughout the United States' desert southwest. At full capacity, Soitec's San Diego area operations will generate up to 450 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs.

"This project is a model for how the shift toward clean energy use can be a boon for our region's economy," said San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders. "It creates skilled manufacturing jobs and builds our base of innovative companies. I couldn't be more thrilled about the positive impact it will have on both San Diego and Imperial counties."

"Soitec is extremely pleased that Tenaska Solar Ventures and SDG and E chose our Concentrix CPV technology for the ISEC West solar power plant," said Andre-Jacques Auberton-Herve, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Soitec.

"Our CPV systems are perfectly suited for the very high solar irradiance prevalent in the Imperial Valley. As a CPV leader, we are committed to the U.S. market and look forward to increasing our presence in the San Diego community by contributing to the emerging renewable energy ecosystem in the region."

The ISEC West project will connect with SDG and E's Imperial Valley substation and its renewable solar energy will be transmitted over the utility's Sunrise Powerlink transmission line, currently under construction and slated for completion in 2012.

"The start of construction of the Sunrise Powerlink has triggered a wave of proposed new utility-scale solar and wind projects in the Imperial Valley region," said James Avery, SDG and E's senior vice president of power supply.

"What is unique about this contract is that not only will the Imperial Valley benefit from the jobs created to construct the solar plant, San Diego will benefit from the module factory. In total, more than 2,000 new jobs will be created here in San Diego and Imperial counties. We are proud to be part of this endeavor. This new contract is part of SDG and E's voluntary commitment to obtain 33 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2020."

The substantial project will produce enough renewable solar energy to serve more than 55,000 households a year.

"We are pleased to be a growing part of the Imperial Valley solar energy community, helping bring clean, renewable power to California population centers," said Dave Fiorelli, president of Tenaska's Development Group. "This additional facility will play an important role in providing reliable, environmentally advantageous electricity and job creation."

Last November, SDG and E signed a contract with another subsidiary of CSOLAR Development for up to 130 MW of solar photovoltaic capacity to be constructed on a 900-acre site in the southern part of Imperial County called the Imperial Solar Energy Center South (ISEC South). That project is slated for completion in 2014 and is expected to bring up to 250 new construction jobs to Southern California.

LightSource Renewables, LLC, was the originator of the ISEC South and West projects and continues to provide services to the project.

"The partnership we have formed with the community as we have moved forward with Imperial Solar Energy Center West reflects local leaders' understanding of the promise of clean energy," said Peter Fisher, chief executive officer of LightSource Renewables. "The outcome of this cooperative effort will be economic growth in Imperial County, a new source of clean, renewable energy, and hundreds of construction jobs and long-term jobs both on site and in the local community."

The ground-mounted 2-axis tracking concentrated photovoltaic solar power generating system employed at ISEC West will convert sunlight directly into electricity with panels that do not produce noise or emit any greenhouse gases.

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