Chevron questing for the holy grail of solar power with new testing site

Like many companies Chevron is mostly motivated by how many dollars it can generate in the most efficient manner. What’s cool is when those goals merge with another: to make money efficiently and sustainably. That might be the case with this instance, Chevron is installing 7,700 solar panels on 18 acres of land in California. While this test certainly isn’t enough to categorize Chevron as a “green” company overall, it’s a step in the right direction. So what is Chevron’s goal?

It wants to identify which of 7 different solar panel technologies is the most efficient at generating power. Overall the facility will push out 740 kilowatts of power and most of that will be used by nearby oil operations. At least we’re getting closer to breaking the chain of using fossil fuels to drill for more fossil fuels . . . right?

As long as it makes sense for the company’s bottom line too, and that’s what Chevron wants to ascertain. Des King, President of Chevron Technology Ventures says:

We were looking for the next-generation technology that we believe could well be the low-cost solution — not just in terms of panels but in total cost of ownership. It’s one of most comprehensive side-by-side tests in shear numbers of panels. According to The New York Times.

The 7 solar companies involved are remaining from an original list of 180 that Chevron investigated. 6 of the companies participating build thin-film solar panels that are cheaper to manufacture than their crystalline photovoltaic counterparts. 1 company does focus on crystalline panels, but it has developed a special “silicon ink” that supposedly will cut costs and boost efficiency.

This test will last for 3 years and is is one of the largest side-by-side tests when looking at the number of solar panels involved. This is one of several tests Chevron is performing in the solar power space with an eventual goal of increasing its renewable energy output.