MegaWatt Solar™

NC Plant Offers New Concentrated Photovoltaic Technology

(Hillsborough, NC., USA: October 14, 2008) MegaWatt Solar, a manufacturer of concentrated photovoltaic solar-generating solutions for the utility industry, announces the installation of its first commercial solar power-generating site. The solar plant, built in conjunction with the Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation, is located in Caswell County, North Carolina and will generate 50 kilowatts of electricity.

MegaWatt Solar has improved the efficiency of solar collectors by concentrating solar radiation by a factor of 20 times onto solar cell receivers and tracking the sun with a dual-axis system. The solar plant is equipped with 16 solar-generating units, or solar trees, each with 16 mounted solar collectors. The MegaWatt solar tree is designed to utilize low-cost, readily available components. Its modular design permits cost-effective upgrading as more efficient photovoltaic technology becomes commercially viable.

“This installation shows that solar is a viable technology and that it can scale to meet utility-grade demand,” said Daniel C. Gregory, President and CEO of MegaWatt Solar. “Placing clusters of solar trees in different locations reduces the environmental footprint and provides a backup in changing weather conditions. The solar trees also provide the flexibility to offer a distributed generation model, where the power is generated just where it is needed, for example, at a factory or office park. The electricity produced using MegaWatt Solar technology has the potential to be less expensive to produce than any other form of energy.”

This project helps support the 2007 North Carolina Senate Bill 3, which mandates electric utilities to generate a growing portion of their power from renewable energy sources over the next 10 years. The power generated by this facility will go on the electric grid along with energy produced by other sources of fuel, especially during times of peak demand for electricity.

“We are extremely excited to partner with MegaWatt Solar and offer our members a solar solution that can be competitive with coal and nuclear alternatives,” said R. G. Brecheisen, chief executive officer of Piedmont EMC. “This is an excellent local business partnership between two innovative companies that share common interests in the energy business.”

About MegaWatt Solar
MegaWatt Solar, located in Hillsborough, North Carolina, is a technology-centric renewable energy company committed to delivering scalable solar power generation systems to the utility market. By reducing the life-cycle costs associated with solar power technology, MegaWatt Solar enables the deployment of large-scale multisolar generators at a financially supportable level - without government incentives.

About Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation
Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation, a Touchstone Energy electric cooperative, serves approximately 30,000 member-consumers in Alamance, Caswell, Durham, Granville, Orange and Person counties.