Solar tour

Today was the Arizona Solar Center's solar homes tour - a tour of some homes in the Phoenix metro area that are taking advantage of solar power. One stop on the tour was the APS STAR (Solar Technology and Research) Center. Have you ever driven by the APS Ocotillo plant on University Drive in Tempe? If so, you've probably seen a crazy-looking jumble of solar panels and trackers, tilted this way and that. Let me tell you, it looks a lot more organized close-up. Besides the usual suspects (solar panels on single- and dual-axis trackers), they've got megamodules (concentrating arrays), Stirling engines, and all sorts of research going on. Very cool place. I wan't able to stay long, but I plan on going back to document it (photographically, that is). For now, here's a photo of a Single-axis Tracking Test System (panels facing west - it was 2:00 PM).