Photos: Solar power
Al McQuilkin, senior construction manager with GkkWorks, looks over the solar arrays at Victor Valley College in Victorville. The college expects the site, which uses concentrator photovoltaics, to provide about 30% of the campus’ power. The technology uses mirrors to concentrate the sun onto tiny high-efficiency solar cells.
See full story (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Al McQuilkin, senior construction manager with GkkWorks, checks the six-acre project site, which will also be catching some rays.
See full story (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Workers put the finishing touches on the solar arrays. The $4.5-million facility using concentrator photovoltaics will be the largest of its kind in North America. The system is expected to pay for itself within five years through energy savings and government incentives, Victor Valley College officials said.
See full story (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
The Victorville installation includes 122 photovoltaic arrays, each of which features 28 panels of 20 curved mirrors. Each of the mirrors focuses the sun onto a smaller mirror attached to a sheet of glass, concentrating the light onto a 1-square-centimeter photovoltaic cell.
See full story (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
To maximize sun exposure, the arrays are mounted on mechanical trackers that follow the sun throughout the day. Each array produces enough electricity at peak hours to power three average homes.
See full story (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
The solar project occupies six acres at Victor Valley College. In addition to generating power for the campus, the Victorville installation will be used to train college students who are interested in renewable energy.
See full story (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
