SolFocus is working with a division of the Greek renewable energy consultancy, Samaras Group to develop the first commercial installation of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar technology in Greece.

The installation will have the capacity to produce 1.6 megawatts of power using the 1100S system developed by SolFocus which achieves panel efficiencies of 25%.

The installation will begin in the spring of 2009 with the first delivery of power expected in the summer.

"We view this groundbreaking project as the beginning of a promising collaboration with SolFocus, we will introduce the unrivaled efficiency of CPV solar technology to Greece and other regions in Southern Europe," said Dimitrios Samaras, president, Samaras Group.

In the first year of production, the system will have the capability to meet energy demands for a small town with approximately 2,500 residents while preventing the release of 2,800 tons of carbon dioxide.

"The group's selection of the new SolFocus system validates the real-world performance, efficiency and scalability of our technology," said Mark Crowley, president, SolFocus.

The SolFocus CPV design employs a system of reflective optics to concentrate sunlight 500 times onto small, highly efficient solar cells. The SolFocus 1100S uses approximately 1/1,000th of the active, expensive solar cell material compared to traditional photovoltaic panels.

The CPV panels include tracking systems that continuously aligns the solar array with direct sunlight throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky. The tracking capability results in energy generation ideally matched to peak demand periods.

The project follows the announcement of a SolFocus project with EMPE Solar, which will deploy the same solar technology in a 10 MW installation. The project is expected to be the largest deployment of CPV technology in Europe.

SolFocus is headquartered in California with European operations headquartered in Madrid and manufacturing in Mesa, Arizona as well as with manufacturing partners in India and China.