NRG Energy, Inc. and MGM Resorts International announced the finished expansion of the nation's largest rooftop solar array. At the roof of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, the expanded solar array has greater than 26,000 photovoltaic panels and produces a combined 8.3 MW dc (6.5 MW ac) of electricity, a brand new national record for rooftop arrays. At full production, the system supplies 25% of the ability demand of all of the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino campus.  

It is projected that the expanded solar installation will displace approximately 8,400 metric hundreds carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, the equivalent of taking greater than 1,700 automobiles off the street. The electricity produced could also be comparable to the common annual usage of 1,340 U.S. homes. Since completion of the primary phase in 2014, the project has helped provide pricing stability for MGM Resorts, while reducing the volume of energy drawn from the southern Nevada grid in periods of peak electricity demand.  

"MGM Resorts International has an extended history of integrating environmentally responsible practices throughout our operations to assist preserve the planet's limited resources," said Cindy Ortega, senior vice chairman and chief sustainability officer of MGM Resorts International. "Our continued partnership with NRG is a source of pride and inspires our want to continually implement innovative solutions that promote renewable energy."

Chuck Bowling, president and COO of Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino added: "THE GROWTH of our rooftop solar installation at Mandalay Bay significantly advances our resort's commitment to being a number one sustainable destination for conferences and conventions. Utilizing energy made from a renewable resource is a cornerstone of our comprehensive means of sustainable operations." 

"Companies like MGM Resorts are driving an evolution in America's energy mix as they seek cleaner sources of power that supply more certainty over energy costs," said Craig Cornelius, senior vice chairman of NRG Energy and head of NRG's Renewables group. "The solar array atop Mandalay Bay is stunning in its scope and functionality, and we're thrilled to have MGM as a partner."

The expanded project uses technology from Ten K Solar. Ten K's REFLECT system contains 4,644 Modules, 180 inverters and an absolutely integrated Ten K racking system and not using a roof penetrations. The racking system uses 3M Cool Mirror Film to mirror only the sunshine wavelengths usable by the photovoltaic cells. Ten K's parallel cell and module architecture allows modules to capture non-uniform irradiance coming from reflected light. The architecture further eliminates any single points of failure, increasing total system availability and reducing operation  and maintenance costs.

NRG owns and operates the installation for MGM Resorts at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Through a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), Mandalay Bay Resort will purchase all of the electricity generated by both solar arrays.

Read More... [Source: Gaming Industry News]