Advantages
The Wilson Solarpower System has fundamental advantages over other solar energy systems. It uses air as its thermal transfer medium instead of water and provides dispatchable power 24/7 regardless of weather by burning conventional fuels, such as natural gas or biofuels, when solar energy is not available. It is modular, capital efficient, produces both electricity and heat, and can be deployed in a wide range of applications with minimal environmental impact. It has a product development pathway that will enable it to compete effectively against other solar technologies and may, in the later stages of its development, compete effectively against conventional fossil fuel systems without benefit of subsidies. The Wilson Solarpower System is differentiated from its solar energy competitors by several key attributes. These include:
Dispatchable, 24/7 on-demand power, regardless of weather
Because the Wilson Solarpower System is ‘dispatchable’ (capable of producing electricity on demand, regardless of weather conditions, in sharp contrast to other renewable energy sources such as wind and solar photovoltaics), it is able not only to generate electricity in peak periods, but to do so at night and during other lower-sun periods.
Highly reliable, stable power generation
The Wilson System’s utilization of commercial microturbine packages enables it to switch quickly between solar power and conventional feedstocks, such as natural gas or any of a variety of alternative fuels (e.g., biofuels or ‘dirty’ methane from a landfill). The ability to supplement solar resources, when necessary, with other readily accessible fuels using proven turbines ensures the reliability of the Wilson System’s generating capability, regardless of weather. In addition, the redundancy of power generating equipment inherent in modular systems adds measurably to the reliability of the Wilson System compared with single-turbine systems.
Ease of permitting and minimization of environmental impacts
The modularity of Wilson’s Solarpower System enables it to deploy shorter central receiver towers than other CSP systems. This feature gives the Wilson System significantly more flexibility in site selection than other power tower systems. In addition, the Wilson System can be sited on lower-cost, uneven terrain that does not need to be graded or flattened, significantly reducing the need for environmental and other permits, and speeding deployment.
Factory mass produced
The Wilson Solarpower System will be factory produced and shipped to the project site operation-ready (similar to the process of constructing a wind farm). Mass production translates to significantly lower system costs as volumes increase. Like wind machines, the Wilson system will be rapidly deployed and commissioned.
Does not use water
Because the Wilson Solarpower System uses air rather than water as its heat-transfer medium, it can be located in the most arid locations (typically the most suitable for CSP in terms of solar radiation but also the areas of least water), without the need for costly water logistics.
Modular configuration encompasses multiple applications
With an initial module size of 100 kilowatts, Wilson's System can be deployed one module at a time or 1000s of modules in utility-scale systems. Most CSP technologies are only suited for large, utility scale projects of tens or hundreds of megawatts, because of the difficulty of scaling down some of their major system components. As a result of these difficulties, most other CSP technologies cannot address the smaller-scale market, leaving a significant gap in the already under-penetrated CSP market. For example, in the United States, scarce transmission capacity and lengthy regulatory and permitting processes make private land near existing distribution lines, and in close proximity to the load, the most attractive sites for immediate CSP deployment. Wilson’s modular configuration allows Wilson Solarpower Corporation to take advantage of these near-term project opportunities, as the Wilson Solarpower System can be deployed in arrays as small as 100 kilowatts, has minimal environmental impact, and can be located near existing infrastructure. Relative to other CSP systems, the Wilson System is rapidly deployable.
Combined Heating & Power (“CHP”)
Because of the Wilson Solarpower System’s ability to provide both heat and power (“combined heat and power” or “CHP”), as well as the scalability of its power generating range (from 100 kilowatts to 1000s megawatts), Wilson believes its systems will appeal to a broader customer base -- encompassing commercial and industrial end-users, independent power producers and utilities -- than other CSP systems.
While the CSP industry’s prevailing view is that different technologies will have particular relevance, and enjoy distinctive advantages in those situations most suitable for each of them, Wilson is currently developing technologies that it believes will allow Wilson Solarpower to maintain a significant advantage – in terms of both cost and efficiency – over other technologies. In May 2010, the United States Department of Energy (the “DOE”) awarded Wilson a grant of up to $3.7 million to further the development of the Wilson Solar Receiver™ and Wilson Solar Battery™, two of the Company’s proprietary technologies that will significantly increase the efficiency of the Wilson Solarpower System. These innovative and ground-breaking technologies further differentiate Wilson from its peers by emphasizing the Wilson System’s ultimate ability to achieve higher efficiencies at a lower cost than most other technologies.
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