Chevron is well known as a massive oil company. The company, however, is now looking to solar energy to add to their repitoire in order to enhance their oil business and have a hand in the solar energy field. Chevron had accumulated data pertaining to about 180 different solar companies across the globe, and eventually visited 38 of them. Chevron then announced their intention to test seven of the companies solar models.
Over a period of three years the company will be testing the solar models at their old refinery location in Bakersfield, California. They are calling the venture Project Brightfield. Six of the companies Chevron has accepted solar models from use thin-film solar panel technology. These types of panels are less expensive to produce due to less silicon being used, however they are considered less efficient.
The seventh company accepted by Chevron has made a panel using crystalline technology. This company, Innovalight, has created a silicon ink that they use to produce the panels.
In total, Chevron has installed 7,700 of the panels across 18 acres of the previous refinery location. The panels are expected to produce 740 kilowatts of electricity. Chevron will be using this energy to power their local oil operations, however, additional electricity will be put into the grid.
At the end of three years, Chevron will make a decision as to which type of solar model they would like to use at their oil facilities and possibly put into production by their additional company, Chevron Energy Solutions.
