Prairie Gold Completes 1 MW Solar Installation in Puerto Rico Using Stion's "Simply Better" Frameless Solar Modules

Electricity can be costly and unreliable in the Caribbean, where resources for energy are limited.  In Puerto Rico 80% of the islands electricity is generated by burning oil. The sun is prolific in the Caribbean, which receives more sunlight than the CA desert, and that’s why businesses including Puerto Rican mining company, Ecologica Carmelo, are turning to solar. Prairie Gold Inc. completed the installation of their first solar project on the island, a 1MW project for the mining company, which was completed in October.

The 1MW project consists of 6,908 Stion “Simply Better” 145W frameless (STL-145) solar modules installed on a ground mount. The project is expected to generate 1,738 megawatt hours per year, 6 percent more than a similarly sized traditional crystalline silicon array. Stion’s modules are certified for installation in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, with the CEC Puerto Rico Certification and also maintain the Salt Mist – Severity 6 IEC certification. Stion modules were selected for their increased energy generation, and for their proven performance and durability in marine environments.

The project was built for Ecologica Carmelo, which mines sand and aggregates. The mining facility will save approximately $300,000 per year in energy costs. Moreover, with Puerto Rico experiencing an island-wide blackout in September that lasted nearly 3 days, solar can provide a more dependable source of energy for industrial and commercial companies in Puerto Rico.
The Puerto Rico blackout captured from Space before the blackout (top) and during (below)

Allied Energy Services, a Georgia-based firm developed the project and then sold it to Prairie Gold. The owners are now awaiting commissioning of the system. “We were excited to team with Prairie Gold Solar when entering the Puerto Rican market because it simply made sense. With the warm climate in the Caribbean and Stion’s industry leading temperature coefficient, Prairie Gold, who owns the system, will realize a much better ROI than they would have with crystalline modules.”