May 31 2014
Tambo Real II, a first-of-its-kind solar project in Vicuna, Chile has reached completion with Trina Solar modules.
This is the first solar project in Chile to be completely developed by a Chilean company. Kaltemp financed, developed and performed installation of this project.
"We chose Trina panels because we trust the high quality of the product and received great service and support," said Gustavo Boetsch, General Manager of Kaltemp Energia Solar. "We are also excited to use Trina's new Dual Glass product that will perform more reliably in harsh environments over the long term."
Kaltemp owns the land where the project is built. It is primarily used for growing avocados and clementines. Kaltemp saw an opportunity to pursue a new crop, solar, when they realized part of the land was unfit to grow cherries,
"The selection of our high quality panels for this project is a validation of their ability to perform in a variety of environments," said Mark Mendenhall, President of Trina Solar Americas. "We look forward to our panels providing Kaltemp and Tambo Real II with reliable, low-cost solar power for years to come."
Kaltemp will use this project as their R&D lab and proving ground for technologies that fit the location's high desert conditions. Kaltemp chose to install 20kW (one inverter string) of Trina Solar's new PDG5 dual glass module. They will monitor the performance of the PDG5 module and compare its performance with that of the standard PC05 modules in the changing climatic conditions at the site throughout the year. Kaltemp worked closely with Trina Solar's Dr. Pierre Verlinden, the company's chief scientist on the solar system design.
The 2MW ground-mounted project is comprised of more than 8,500 Trina Solar PC05 panels. The project uses SMA supplied inverters and ABB transformation stations. Hilti provided mounting equipment for the system's solar modules. The project is Kaltemp's first foray into solar project development.