BYD and Strata Solar finalise panel and battery deal
After several meetings and facility tours at BYD's production facilities in Shenzhen, BYD and Strata Solar have announced an extensive solar partnership for 2014. Chapel Hill-based Strata Solar has inked a deal with BYD to purchase 160 MW's of their premium solar panels which represents over a third of Strata's scheduled construction work for 2014. In addition to the panel deal, BYD and Strata will work together to implement BYD's world leading battery technology into a series of Strata Solar's utility farm projects in order to maximize production and efficiencies.
"Strata Solar is one of America's premier solar firms and we are thrilled to have BYD panels installed in such a large portion of their portfolio next year. America is a very important market for solar energy and energy storage solutions, and BYD's world leading products are rapidly gaining US market share. BYD's competitive advantage in battery technology gives us a strong strategic position, allowing us to offer a unique total energy solution," says Chuanfu Wang, the chairman of BYD. He goes on to say "Strata and BYD have been working on a series of interesting models for the utilization of BYD storage solutions in several upcoming Strata projects which we are very excited to be a participating in."
Markus Wilhelm, Strata Solar's CEO said "We have been very impressed with BYD's focus on solar and storage technology. BYD's renewable energy division is highly vertically integrated, which benefits from strong engineering competence, and research and production capabilities in panel manufacturing, racking, inverter technology, and comprehensive storage solutions. During our meetings with Chairman Wang and his staff we had the opportunity to confirm Strata's alignment with BYD's global vision and strategy for solar energy. Strata's unique and rapidly growing utility scale solar business will provide BYD with a large and scalable platform for their current and new technology."
Strata Solar will complete nearly 200 MW's of solar across 30 installations in 2013. Strata will add 300 "“ 400 MW's in 2014 and has a pipeline of 1.5 gigawatts.
