MGM Resorts, NRG Energy complete the installation of the largest rooftop solar PV array in the U.S.

 

NRG Energy, Inc. (Houston, TX, U.S.) and MGM Resorts International (Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.) on July 6^th, 2016 announced the completed expansion of the largest rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) array in the United States.

On the roof of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, the expanded solar array has more than 26,000 PV panels and produces a combined 8.3 MW_dc (6.5 MW_ac) of solar power, a new national record for rooftop arrays.

At full production, the system supplies 25% of the power demand of the entire Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino campus.

“MGM Resorts International has a long history of integrating environmentally responsible practices throughout our operations to help preserve the planet's limited resources,” said Cindy Ortega, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer of MGM Resorts International.

Chuck Bowling, President and COO of Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino added: “The expansion of our rooftop solar installation at Mandalay Bay significantly advances our resort's commitment to being a leading sustainable destination for conferences and conventions. Utilizing energy produced from a renewable resource is a cornerstone of our comprehensive strategy of sustainable operations.”

“Companies like MGM Resorts are driving an evolution in America's energy mix as they seek cleaner sources of power that provide more certainty over energy costs,” said Craig Cornelius, Senior Vice President of NRG Energy and head of NRG's Renewables group.

“The solar array atop Mandalay Bay is stunning in its scope and functionality, and we're thrilled to have MGM as a partner.”

PV technology from Ten K Solar

The expanded PV project uses technology from Ten K Solar. Ten K's REFLECT system consists of 4,644 PV Modules, 180 inverters and a fully integrated Ten K racking system with no roof penetrations.

The racking system uses 3M “Cool Mirror Film” to reflect only the light wavelengths usable by the photovoltaic cells. Ten K's parallel cell and module architecture allows for modules to capture non-uniform irradiance coming from reflected light.

The architecture further eliminates any single points of failure, increasing total system availability and reducing operation and maintenance costs.

NRG owns and operates the installation for MGM Resorts at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Through a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), Mandalay Bay Resort will purchase all the solar power generated by both PV arrays. 

source: http://www.solarserver.com