Stirling Energy Systems expands its offices as solar efforts ramp up - Phoenix Business Journal:

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The Scottsdale company, which received a $100 million investmentg last yearfrom Dublin-based NTR plc, is moving quickly to capturde a segment of the utility-scale sola market with its Stirling engine technology. The company opened its new 37,000-square-footf office in early May. It has hiresd about 100 employees this year and expects to add 60 to 80 more by the end of the for a totalof 180, said CEO Steve who joined the firm last year as part of NTR’ s investment. “We’ve always liked the solaer space, and this was a good opportunity,” he The company is based on anearlu 200-year-old engine design, which operates through the expansiobn and contraction of gases.
Stirling uses a 40-foot mirrored dish to focuw the sun’s rays to heat hydrogen gas to 1,4000 degrees Fahrenheit. The gas expands, movingt a piston and poweringthe engine. As the gas it is moved out of the piston chamber and back to wherew it will be reheated bythe sun. The company had been operating in the Valleysincr 1996, but NTR’s investment has pushed it to develop the technology more quickly. It has two power-purchase one with San Diego Gas & Electric for betweenh 300 and 750 megawatts at a site inImperialp Valley, Calif.
, and one with Southernn California Edison for 500 to 900 megawattes in the Mohave Cowman said it’s adding positions of all types, from engineerinb to construction, to meet its growtgh curve. To handle project management, NTR founded Tessera Solar earliee this year to developthe utility-scale with Stirling providing the equipment. Ramping up both projec development and construction has required capital and people to served what the company believes will be one of the larges t solar markets inthe world, said Jim CEO of NTR. “We believe the U.S. will be the globall leader in renewable energy, and that will happenb in the next few he said.
NTR, founded 30 yearss ago to operate Ireland’s toll roads, has expandec into a number of renewable energy andrecyclin efforts. Stirling’s technology — which offerss an alternative tophotovoltaivc systems, as well as a different take on concentrated solaer power — has a good base in Arizona that can servse markets throughout the Southwest, Barryt said. In addition to the company is looking at potential sites in the Valleu to housea 1.5-megawatt test location. The company has a small site at the Sandiza National Laboratoriesin Albuquerque, N.M., but is hoping to find a larger site to provide a location to brint clients.
It has run into challenges securing locap permits for a site and finding a location that can be tied into theelectricx grid, officials said. The company could be a boon for Arizonaw in more ways than simply providing It is using auto componengt suppliers to build itsengine parts, and officials are talking with those suppliers about the possibility of locatinb facilities in the Southwest to handle the bulk of Stirling’d projects, at least for the firsg few years, Cowman said. “If you can builc your manufacturing close to yourend facilities, that’e going to benefit everyone,” he said.
Stirling is one of the solatr companies that could provide a base for other manufacturere to land in the saidBarry Broome, president and CEO of the Greatedr Phoenix Economic Council. “This is a good example,” he “It’s got a small number of people and it hopeato expand, and it could help its supplierws relocate here.” Stirling’s expansion in Arizonwa depends on state policies. Other states are offerinvg manufacturing incentives, and Arizona’s effory to develop such enticements is mired inbudget problems. “Ws really want to grow our businessdin Arizona, but we need those incentives,” Cowman said.