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VTA Partners with Skyline Solar in Demonstration Project
| Release Number: | nr05-09 |
| Release Date: | May 14, 2009 |
Taxpayers Benefiting from Public/Private Partnership
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
WHAT: At the conclusion of the May 15 dedication ceremony, the speakers will cut a ribbon wrapped around the first High Gain Solar array presented by Skyline Solar. Tours of the facility are also available.
MEDIA EVENT
WHAT: The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and Skyline Solar of Mountain View officially celebrate the dedication of a new High Gain Solar (HGS) power plant built at VTA’s Cerone Bus Maintenance and Operations Division in north San Jose.
WHERE: VTA’s Cerone Division (near building A)
WHEN: Friday, May 15, 2009 at 2:45 p.m.
DIRECTIONS: The main entrance to Cerone Division is a signalized intersection on Zanker Road, just south of State Route 237. The dedication event will be held near Building A, located at the north end of the facility. Directional signs will be in place.
WHY: The two partners, one private and one public, are unveiling the results of their collaboration this Friday.
Local taxpayers benefit by receiving, at no cost to them, all the electricity the plant produces, VTA benefits by gaining experience in the permitting, design and installation of a solar power plant. The local economy benefits as an area start-up company brings it innovative product to market.
The VTA facility is the first grid connected solar power plant built using Skyline Solar equipment which solves the two main barriers to solar, cost and scalability. Skyline will use the plant to test and enhance the High Gain Solar (HGS) architecture and technology.
SPEAKERS: Dolly Sandoval, Chairperson, VTA Board of Directors and Council Member, City of Cupertino
Bob MacDonald, CEO, Skyline Solar
Mike Hursh, VTA Deputy Director, Operations Maintenance
Margaret Abe-Koga, Mayor, City of Mountain View and chair, VTA Policy Advisory Committee
Jeffery Byron, Commissioner, California Energy Commission
Liz Kniss, Supervisor, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and Board Member, VTA Board of Directors
Paul Fong, Assemblyman, California State Assembly, 22nd District
tours: Private facility tours will be available to members of the media beginning
at 2 p.m. on Friday, or by special arrangement at other times. Expert
presenters from both Skyline and VTA will be available during the tours.
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About VTA
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is an independent special district that provides sustainable, accessible, community-focused transportation options that are innovative, environmentally responsible, and promote the vitality of our region. VTA is responsible for bus, light rail and paratransit operations; congestion management; specific highway improvement projects; countywide transportation planning and provides these services to cities throughout the county including Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga and Sunnyvale. VTA continually builds partnerships to deliver transportation solutions that meet the evolving mobility needs of Santa ClaraCounty.
About Skyline Solar
Skyline Solar manufactures High Gain Solar (HGS) arrays incorporating industry-proven silicon cells, durable reflector materials and single-axis tracking into a complete, easy-to-deploy system. Skyline HGS delivers ten times more energy per gram of silicon than traditional flat panel systems. Built primarily out of commodity materials and assembled using globally available manufacturing processes, Skyline HGS simultaneously improves financial payback and scalability, thereby accelerating the path to grid parity.
Skyline was founded in 2007 and is led by veterans of the solar energy and high volume manufacturing industries. The company is funded by NEA, other VCs and strategic investors. Skyline also received funding from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to accelerate production. Skyline went from prototype to first grid connected customer in less than one year and is now engaging partners and end customers for production systems starting in late 2009. For more information, visit www.skyline-solar.com###
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