2010年6月2日，圣地亚哥煤气电力公司（SDG&E）推出两款新的太阳能发电示范装置，它的工作原理是用两种不同的方式将来自太阳的光和热收集起来，产生电力。
集中太阳能发电技术归加利福尼亚州的 utility's El Cajon所有，项目包括：
一：在华盛顿州的肯纳威克建立一个直径为15英尺的光盘镜（PowerDish），将太阳能源集中起来传输到一个紧凑型的斯特林发动机上，然后把这些能源转换成电力，每个光盘镜（PowerDish）可以产生3000瓦的电力，足以供一个普通用户使用。
二：集中光伏（CPV）技术，可以利用反射光学系统，650倍聚焦太阳能并把它转移到高效光伏电池上，转换效率可达传统硅太阳能电池的两倍，这个系统的面积为24英尺*18英尺，可产生8400瓦的电力，足以供三个普通家庭使用。
这两个项目8万美元的资金来自SDG&E公司的科研小组。
SDG&E公司的电力副总裁说，集中太阳能技术，代表了潜在的和实际的可再生能源的领先优势的新形势，这些示范项目将为将来的实际应用打下坚实的基础。该公司允诺，到2020年可再生能源会占到总电力的33%。
SAN DIEGO, CA, Jun 02, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) today introduced two new solar power demonstration installations that concentrate the light and heat from the sun to generate power in two distinctively different ways.
The concentrated solar power technology employed by the utility's El Cajon, Calif., operations center include:
-- The PowerDish(TM), built by Infinia of Kennewick, Wash., a mirrored
disc 15 feet in diameter that concentrates and focuses the sun's
energy onto a compact Stirling engine that converts that energy into
electricity. Each PowerDish produces up to 3,000 watts of electricity,
enough to power a typical home;
-- Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) Technology, built by SolFocus of
Mountain View, Calif., uses a reflective optical system to concentrate
sunlight 650 times onto very high-efficiency photovoltaic cells up to
twice as efficient as traditional silicon PV cells. The rectangular
system is 24 feet wide, 18 feet tall and is capable of generating
8,400 watts, enough to power three homes.
The total cost for both projects is $80,000 and will be funded by SDG&E's research and development group.
"The concentrated solar technology we are hosting on our property is more than a bright idea conceived in the lab, it represents the potential leading edge of new and practical forms of renewable power," said James P. Avery, senior vice president of power supply for SDG&E. "Hosting these demonstration projects on our property provides us the opportunity to determine the real-world applications of these systems and their potential on a utility scale."
The demonstrations are expected to continue for 12 to 18 months, after which SDG&E will share the results with the manufacturers.
Today's announcement supports SDG&E's plan to develop green technologies, meet its renewable energy goals and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The company has voluntarily agreed to obtain 33 percent of its electricity portfolio from renewables by 2020.
SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reliable energy service to 3.4 million consumers through 1.4 million electric meters and more than 840,000 natural gas meters in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The utility's area spans 4,100 square miles. SDG&E is committed to creating ways to help our customers save energy and money every day. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy /quotes/comstock/13*!sre/quotes/nls/sre (SRE 45.22, -0.56, -1.23%) , a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego.
