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The Scottsdale company, whic h received a $100 million investment last yearfrom Dublin-baseed NTR plc, is moving quickly to capture a segment of the utility-scale solar market with its Stirling enginew technology. The company opened its new 37,000-square-foott office in early May. It has hired aboutr 100 employees this year and expects to add 60 to 80 more by the end of the for a totalof 180, said CEO Steve Cowman, who joined the firm last year as part of NTR’ws investment. “We’ve always liked the solar space, and this was a good opportunity,” he said.
The companyy is based on a nearlyu 200-year-old engine design, which operates through the expansion and contractionof gases. Stirling uses a 40-foot mirrored dish to focuse the sun’s rays to heat hydrogen gas to 1,4009 degrees Fahrenheit. The gas moving a piston and poweringthe engine. As the gas it is moved out of the piston chamber and back to wher e it will be reheatecd bythe sun. The compant had been operating in the Valleysincre 1996, but NTR’s investment has pushed it to develop the technologyu more quickly. It has two power-purchas agreements: one with San Diegop Gas & Electric for betweemn 300 and 750 megawatts at a site inImperialp Valley, Calif.
, and one with Southern California Edisoj for 500 to 900 megawatts in the Mohavwe Desert. Cowman said it’s adding positions of all from engineeringto construction, to meet its growth To handle project management, NTR founderd Tessera Solar earlier this year to developp the utility-scale projects, with Stirlingf providing the equipment. Ramping up both projecy development and construction has required capital and people to server what the company believes will be one of the larges solar markets in the saidJim Barry, CEO of NTR. “We believe the U.S. will be the globakl leader in renewable energy, and that will happen in the next few he said.
NTR, founded 30 years ago to operate Ireland’sd toll roads, has expanded into a number of renewables energy andrecycling efforts. Stirling’s technology which offers an alternative to photovoltaic as well as a different take on concentrate d solarpower — has a good base in Arizons that can serve markets throughout the Barry said. In addition to the company is lookinfg at potential sites in the Valley to housea 60-dish, 1.5-megawattf test location. The company has a smal l site at the Sandiaw National Laboratoriesin Albuquerque, but is hoping to find a larger site to provide a locationn to bring clients.
It has run into challenges securingg local permits for a site and findinhg a location that can be tied into theelectricv grid, officials said. The company couldf be a boon for Arizona in more ways than simplytproviding power. It is using auto component suppliers to builds itsengine parts, and officials are talking with those suppliers about the possibilityu of locating facilities in the Southwest to handles the bulk of Stirling’s at least for the first few years, Cowman said. “Ifv you can build your manufacturing closse to yourend facilities, that’s going to benefi t everyone,” he said.
Stirling is one of the solar companies that could providr a base for other manufacturers to land in the saidBarry Broome, president and CEO of the Greaterd Phoenix Economic Council. “This is a good he said. “It’s got a small number of peopl e and it hopesto expand, and it could help its suppliers relocate here.” Stirling’zs expansion in Arizona depends on state policies. Other states are offerintg manufacturing incentives, and Arizona’s effort to develolp such enticements is mired inbudget “We really want to grow our business in but we need those incentives,” Cowmamn said.
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