Boeing’s Solar Subsidiary Adds California Contract
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DID recently covered an Australian contract to Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab for 500,000 solar concentrator cells to be used in remote areas. This was a particularly significant development given the call from combat commanders for renewable energy sources at American forward operating bases.
In-Q-Tel funded Skybuilt Power remains the front runner, and firms like Global Solar are already working with CECOM on related solar options from man-portable battery rechargers to self-powering tents. Leading defense integrator Boeing appears to have noticed the trend, however, and Spectrolab just announced another win via a 12-month contract from SolFocus, Inc. of Palo Alto, CA. Under this contract 600,000 solar concentrator cells will be built and delivered, with the goal of generating 10 MW of electricity at wholesale energy prices.
