Stion Energy Services recently completed the installation of the first ever utility projects in the State of Mississippi. A total of 1.5 MW was installed at three different sites for Entergy Mississippi Inc.
One of the arrays, a 500-kW system in Hinds County, is equipped with a single-axis tracking system that will generate 820,000 kWh of power every year using Stion’s 100% American made solar modules. Two additional 500-kW fixed-tilt arrays were installed in DeSoto County and in the City of Brookhaven.
Collectively the three arrays will generate 2.2 MWh of electricity on an annual basis for Entergy’s customers in Mississippi.
Entergy selected different locations throughout the State to test how panels perform in Mississippi’s hot and humid climate. Entergy decided to work with Stion Energy Services, the turn-key development arm of Stion Corporation and the only vertically integrated solar developer in the state of Mississippi.
The modules were manufactured in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, less than 100 miles from the installation sites, enabling Entergy to support the local economy as it tests the benefits of solar power.
“It is exciting to collaborate with Entergy and supply locally sourced power to residents of Mississippi,” said Frank Yang, Stion’s VP of Business Development and Marketing. “Solar energy will be an important part of the state’s energy generation mix going forward, and we look forward to continuing to grow our manufacturing and project development efforts in Hattiesburg.”
When the operating temperature of a solar panel increases it starts to affect the module’s energy production. In the hot Mississippi climate Stion systems are expected to produce 5% more per kW than silicon modules, primarily due to an industry leading low temperature coefficient of -.26%/°C. Stion’s frameless modules provide additional value due to:
- No debris build up at edge of module leads to better performance
- Increased packaging density and lighter weight module leads to lower transportation costs
Combining the benefits of a single axis tracker with the increased performance benefits of the Stion module increased Entergy’s return on investment delivering “Simply Better Value” as the solar modules produce more energy as they track the sun across the sky. “This maximizes the available light and increases power output of the system by 20% over the course of a Mississippi day,” stated Jim McGrath, VP of Sales for Stion.
News item from Stion