Stirling Energy Systems, Boeing announce solar panels deal (Phoenix)

Stirling Energy Systems and Boeing Co. inked a deal calling for the solar power developer to integrate the aerospace company’s high-concentration photovoltaic cells into its product offerings.

Stirling will commercialize Boeing’s XR700 solar technology for projects of 50 megawatts and smaller. The company also develops a large SunCatcher concentrated solar power dish for large, utility-scale projects.

“This venture with Boeing represents an ideal opportunity for SES to extend our reach into the solar market for future technology deployments with a product that shares many of the SunCatcher’s key differentiating features — scalability, low water use and high-efficiency,” said Steve Cowman, CEO of the Scottsdale-based Stirling.

The Boeing system is designed to concentrate the sun’s rays onto solar modules to increase their efficiency. The cells, being developed by Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab, have set a record for the ability to transform 40 percent of the light that hits them into energy. The best panels on the market today are about 18 percent efficient.

Read the full post in the Phoenix Business Journal.