HILLSBORO, OR and DOMINICAN REPUBLIC–Solar panels from SolarWorld, the largest US solar manufacturer for more than 35 years, now power the largest solar-electric installation in the Caribbean nation of Dominican Republic. The 1.5-megawatt solar array sits near the runway of Cibao International Airport, the country's third-largest airport. The system, a complete solar solution featuring SolarWorld's high-quality solar panels and proprietary racking, generates enough clean energy to support about half of the airport's energy needs.

In late July, Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina and Felix Garcia, the president of the airport's Board of Directors, presided over the plant's commissioning. In a statement released July 23, Enrique Ramirez, president of the National Commission of Energy, called the solar project one of the largest and most ambitious in Latin America.

“As a company with business ties to Latin America dating back more than 30 years, SolarWorld has long understood that solar power is an essential part of the region's energy mix,” said Kevin Kilkelly, president of SolarWorld Americas. “For island nations like Dominican Republic, solar offers a clean and cost-effective solution to dependence on expensive imported oil for power generation.”