Stirling Energy Systems expands its offices as solar efforts ramp up - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

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The Scottsdale company, which received a $100 millionb investment last yearfrom Dublin-based NTR plc, is moving quicklt to capture a segment of the utility-scale solar market with its Stirlingh engine technology. The company openefd its new 37,000-square-foot office in early May. It has hired aboug 100 employees this year and expectx to add 60 to 80 more by the end of the for a totalof 180, said CEO Steve who joined the firm last year as part of NTR’s investment. “We’ve always liked the soladr space, and this was a good he said. The company is based on a nearluy 200-year-old engine design, which operates through the expansion and contraction of gases.
Stirling uses a 40-foot mirroredd dish to focus the sun’a rays to heat hydrogen gas to 1,40 0 degrees Fahrenheit. The gas moving a piston and poweringthe engine. As the gas it is moved out of the pistonn chamber and back to where it will be reheatedc bythe sun. The company had been operatinhg in the Valley since 1996, but NTR’s investment has pushed it to develolp the technology more quickly. It has two power-purchaser agreements: one with San Dieg Gas & Electric for between 300 and 750 megawatts at a site inImperiao Valley, Calif., and one with Southernn California Edison for 500 to 900 megawatts in the Mohav Desert.
Cowman said it’s adding positione of all types, from engineering to construction, to meet its growtu curve. To handle projecy management, NTR founded Tessera Solar earlier this year to develolthe utility-scale projects, with Stirling providing the Ramping up both project development and constructiojn has required capital and people to serve what the company believes will be one of the larges solar markets in the world, said Jim Barry, CEO of NTR. “Wer believe the U.S.
will be the globall leader in renewable energy, and that will happebn in the nextfew years,” he NTR, founded 30 years ago to operater Ireland’s toll roads, has expanded into a numbee of renewable energy and recyclin g efforts. Stirling’s technology — which offers an alternativw tophotovoltaic systems, as well as a different take on concentratee solar power — has a good base in Arizonqa that can serve markets throughout the Southwest, Barry In addition to hiring, the company is lookinvg at potential sites in the Valley to hous a 60-dish, 1.5-megawatt test location. The company has a small site at the Sandiqa National Laboratoriesin Albuquerque, N.M.
, but is hoping to find a large site to provide a locationm to bring clients. It has run into challenges securing localk permits for a site and finding a locatiohn that can be tied into theelectri grid, officials said. The company could be a boon for Arizonz in more ways than simplyproviding power. It is using auto componengt suppliers to build itsengine parts, and officials are talkinb with those suppliers about the possibility of locatin g facilities in the Southwesrt to handle the bulk of Stirling’xs projects, at least for the firsyt few years, Cowman said.
“I f you can build your manufacturinf close to yourend facilities, that’s going to benefitg everyone,” he said. Stirling is one of the solar companiex that could provide a base for othee manufacturers to land in the saidBarry Broome, president and CEO of the Greatert Phoenix Economic Council. “This is a good example,” he “It’s got a small number of peopls and it hopesto expand, and it could help its supplierse relocate here.” Stirling’s expansion in Arizona depend on state policies. Other states are offering manufacturing incentives, and Arizona’ s effort to develop such enticementw is mired inbudget problems.
“We really want to grow our businessdin Arizona, but we need those Cowman said.