SkyFuel's Parabolic Trough to Save Fuel in The Gas City

SkyFuel's High Performance Parabolic Trough and the Medicine Hat Power Plant

Arvada, Colorado - October 4, 2012: SkyFuel, Inc. has been awarded a contract to supply high performance parabolic trough solar collectors to the City of Medicine Hat in Alberta, Canada to offset fuel consumption at the City's combined cycle gas power plant. The installation will be the first concentrating solar power project to be built in Canada, as well as the first Integrated Solar Combined Cycle (ISCC). The solar collector field and steam generator will be built during the summer of 2013, and will establish Medicine Hat and the Province of Alberta as a leader in solar power development.


Hybrid applications such as the one at Medicine Hat provide an immediate and immense opportunity to cut carbon dioxide emissions from existing power generation facilities. Each of the 8 SkyTrough® solar collector assemblies (SCAs) produces 480 kilowatts of heat at reference conditions of 1000 watts per square meter of insolation. The 1.1 megawatt (electric) rated solar project offsets natural gas consumption and avoids 600 metric tons equivalent of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Estimates of potential for integration of CSP into existing plants in North America are over 20 GW.

"We see this as an ideal opportunity to demonstrate the versatility of the SkyTrough technology," commented Kelly Beninga, SkyFuel's Chief Commercial Officer. "This installation shows feasibility at small scale, integrated with an existing gas generation plant, and in a colder climate."

Known for its abundant reserves of natural gas, the City of Medicine Hat is looking to harness its sunshine too. "We aim to show that solar can work in harmony with natural gas, to the benefit of all our citizens," said Gerry Labas, Chief Operating Officer of the City of Medicine Hat's Energy Services Division. The project is being funded through a partnership between the City of Medicine Hat, the Province of Alberta and the Climate Change and Emissions Management (CCEMC) Corporation.

About SkyFuel

SkyFuel, Inc. www.skyfuel.com manufactures a high performance, glass-free parabolic trough solar thermal collector called the SkyTrough. SkyFuel solar collectors harness solar radiation to produce steam for electricity generation and industrial applications. SkyFuel's wholly owned subsidiary, ReflecTech, Inc., holds the exclusive license to manufacture and market ReflecTech mirror film www.ReflecTechSolar.com.

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