April 23, 2007—The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) recently reported that 2007 is shaping up to be “another banner year” for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in the US.
In February, the Colorado Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved an 8-MW PV installation, which SunE Alamosa1 will construct in Alamosa before year’s end to provide solar power to Xcel Energy and its customers, says EERE.
In March, the Nevada PUC approved a 20-year contract between Nevada Power Company and Solar Star NAFB for the installation of an 18-MW PV installation at Nellis Air Force Base, adds EERE. The Nevada PUC also approved 562 applications for customer-sited PV installations that will qualify for the state’s SolarGenerations program.
In addition, EERE notes that California “continues to demonstrate its solar power leadership” by installing large PV systems throughout the state. In March, Chevron Energy Solutions began building a 1-MW PV system that will form a parking structure at California State University, Fresno. In addition, San California Gas Company presented a $3.4 million incentive check to Peninsula Packaging for installing a 1-MW PV system at its facility in Exeter.
The City of San Diego also unveiled a 1-MW PV system at its Alvarado Water Treatment Plant, while SPG Solar announced the completion of an 827-kilowatt PV system at Western Wine Services in the Napa Valley. Finally, SPG Solar completed a 500-kilowatt PV system for the Sonoma County Water Agency.
