eSolar Cranks Out Alternative Energy Plant Designs in SolidWorks

CONCORD, Mass. August 17, 2009--A five megawatt (MW) pilot concentrated solar power (CSP) plant designed in SolidWorks® 3D CAD software went online this week, providing electricity to 4,000 homes near Los Angeles. California-based eSolar used SolidWorks software to design heliostat mirrors that reflect and concentrate sunlight to a boiler that generates steam and powers a standard turbine to create solar energy.

Key facts

• Funded in part by Google, eSolar is an Idealab company that develops and constructs modular, scalable solar thermal power plants.
• eSolar’s methodology standardizes heliostat production to reduce costs and development time, while simplifying deployment.
• eSolar uses 20 licenses of SolidWorks software to engineer the exact mirror specifications that can withstand extreme winds yet be light enough for easy electronic adjustment.
• By enabling eSolar engineers to calculate precise tolerances and part fits on screen, SolidWorks has eliminated a full prototype cycle (normally four months).
• Contract manufacturers work with eSolar’s SolidWorks designs to ensure manufacturability and ease of assembly, further streamlining development.
• eSolar also uses SolidWorks Workgroup PDM product data management software to ensure version control while different engineers work on the same design simultaneously.
• Global energy demand could double or triple by 2050, according to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
• By 2020, solar energy could easily provide energy to over a billion people globally and provide 2.3 million full-time jobs, according to EPIA and Greenpeace.

Quotables

From Rick Iannello, vice president of manufacturing

“As a startup company, we want to deliver our product as fast as possible. That means proving the technology and garnering interest while you still have enough capital. SolidWorks software played a critical role in helping us refine the technology quickly so we could start shopping our scalable plant design around. The result is that we’ve gone online with our pilot, and we have other projects in the works. That’s the kind of early traction we need.”

eSolar relies on authorized SolidWorks reseller GoEngineer for ongoing software training, implementation, and support.

About eSolar

eSolar is an Idealab company founded in 2007 to develop, construct and deploy modular, scalable solar thermal power plants. eSolar's approach marries a low-impact, pre-fabricated form factor with advanced optics and computer software engineering to meet the demands of utilities of any size for clean, renewable and cost-competitive solar energy. By focusing on the key business obstacles that have characterized large solar installations — price, scalability, speed of deployment and grid impact — eSolar has developed a proprietary solution to make a dramatic reduction in the cost of solar thermal technology. eSolar is based in Pasadena, California. For more information please visit http://esolar.com/.

About Dassault Systèmes

Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations.  Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported.  Dassault Systèmes’ collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world.  The group brings value to over 150,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries.  For more information, visit www.3ds.com.