In continued collaboration with renewable energy developer EDF Renewable Energy, formerly enXco, SMA will supply Medium-Voltage Power Platforms for a 110 MW AC solar plant in Kern County, Calif. The project, which will be EDF Renewable Energy's largest utility-scale solar project in the U.S. to date, is scheduled for Phase I commissioning in December 2012. SMA was selected for the project because of its expertise in utility-scale PV plants.

“We value the opportunity to work with a world-class integrator like EDF Renewable Energy on the Catalina project,” said Henry Dziuba, president and general manager of SMA America and president of SMA Canada. “As the leading utility-scale inverter supplier in North America, SMA knows there is no substitute for experience when it comes to developing PV projects that rank among the world’s largest.”

The Catalina Solar Project is being constructed on 1,100 acres of land. San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) based in San Diego, Calif., will purchase the power generated at the plant under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA).

The MV Power Platform is SMA’s modular utility-scale power conversion solution using award-winning Sunny Central technology. The platform consists of two Sunny Central inverters, a transformer, optional DC/AC disconnect cabinets and a control and supply panel for power distribution to local loads and, optionally, field tracker motors.

SMA’s MV Power Platforms are recognized for their diverse service options, easy plug-and-play installation scheme and rapid field deployment. SMA ships the product directly to job sites for set-up. The MV Power Platform is the most cost-effective way to modularly install large-scale PV power conversion systems.

About SMA
The SMA Group generated sales of €1.7 billion in 2011 and is the global market leader for solar inverters, a key component of all PV plants. It is headquartered in Niestetal, near Kassel, Germany, and is represented in 21 countries on six continents. The Group employs more than 5,500 people worldwide, plus a number of temporary employees that varies on a seasonal basis. SMA’s broad product portfolio includes a compatible inverter for every type of module on the market and for all PV plant sizes. The product range includes inverters both for grid-connected PV plants and for off-grid systems. SMA can therefore provide an ideal inverter solution for all plant sizes and types. Since 2008, the Group’s parent company, SMA Solar Technology AG, has been listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (S92) and also in the TecDAX index. In recent years, SMA has received numerous awards for excellence as an employer and in 2011 and 2012 achieved first place in Germany’s nationwide Great Place to Work® competition. www.SMA-America.com/www.SMA-Canada.ca