December 3, 2003—Southern California Gas Co. has presented a $4.5 million incentive awardits largest everto the U.S. Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force Training Command Twentynine Palms base for installing one of the largest photovoltaic systems in the United States.
The award is funded by the Self Generation Incentive Program, launched in 2001 by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in response to Californias electricity crisis. The statewide program encourages qualifying businesses in California to generate their own electricity on-site, thereby increasing the states supply of electricity. The Gas Company administers this program for customers in its service territory.
The Marine Corps new photovoltaic system generates about 10 percent of the bases electric needs.
Prior to this award, the largest incentive ever paid under the program in California was $3.6 million for an 800-kilowatt photovoltaic installation in San Diego for the U.S. Navy.
The Self-Generation Incentive Program offers the following incentives for generation projects of up to 1.5 megawatts:
- $4.50 per watt (not to exceed half of the total project cost) for using photovoltaic, wind turbines and fuel cells operating on renewable fuels;
- $2.50 per watt (not to exceed 40 percent of the total project cost) for fuel cells operating on non-renewable fuels;
- $1.50 per watt (not to exceed 40 percent of the total project cost) for micro-turbines, internal combustion engines and small gas turbines operating on renewable fuels; and
- $1 per watt (not to exceed 30 percent of the total project cost) for microturbines, internal combustion engines and small turbines with combined heat and power. For more information on the Self-Generation Incentive Program, visit The Gas Company.
