Interior Department Flips Switch on First Public Lands Solar Project

Officials flipped the switch to start Silver State North, a 50-megawatt solar plant located 40 miles south of Las Vegas, Nevada.
Credit: Enbridge

U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on May 7 flipped the switch to start the first large-scale solar energy facility on U.S. public lands delivering power to consumers. Silver State North is a 50-megawatt plant located 40 miles south of Las Vegas, Nevada, that will use photovoltaic (PV) technology to generate enough power for about 9,000 Nevada homes. The plant was built on 618 acres of public land managed by Interior's Bureau of Land Management, after the solar facility underwent full environmental analysis and public review. It was developed by First Solar and is owned by Enbridge.

Prior to 2009, there were no solar energy projects permitted on public lands. Since then, the Interior Department has authorized 29 large-scale renewable energy projects on or involving public lands, including 16 solar facilities, 5 wind farms, and 8 geothermal plants. See the Interior Department press release.

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National Laboratory 'Flips Switch' on East Coast's Largest Solar Array

On November 18, the DOE Brookhaven National Laboratory "flipped the switch" on the largest solar photovoltaic array in the eastern United States. The 164,312 solar panels hosted at the lab in New York state—one of the largest solar farms built on federal property—will produce enough energy to power up to 4,500 homes.

The 32-megawatt Long Island Solar Farm Project, a collaborative project between the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and BP Solar International, Inc. (BP Solar), also boasts the smallest carbon footprint of any solar array with its amount of output. The use of a DOE site has helped attract investments from public and private sources, ensuring the economic success of the project and serving the nation's goal to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil.

"The result is a significant source of clean energy for Long Island, as well as a positive economic impact for the local workforce and businesses," said Mike Petrucci, CEO of BP Solar, noting that a true "team effort" contributed to the successful development and construction of the project. LIPA chief operating officer Michael D. Hervey said that the project will help New York state meet its goal of 30% renewable resources by 2015, in addition to the "creation of new, high-quality energy jobs." See the Energy Blog post.

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Mountain Valley throws switch on photovoltaic system

Two switches flipped GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado - Heather Johnson Friday morning and officially the activates new solar electric system on the roof at Mountain Valley developmental services.

"Cool!" said Johnson, a mountain valley client and Glenwood Springs-based, be carried out after the ceremony.

In fact produces clean electricity electric solar system for about a week, according to Bruce Christensen, Managing Director of the non-profit agency. He has checked the system of inverter on the day to see, how much energy that it produces and how much carbon dioxide it keeps out of the atmosphere.

"Until the end of the year, we will save 100 tons of carbon dioxide,", said Christensen.

"With a system like this you really carbon reduction can take into your own hands", said Isaac Ellis, small Sunsense system project manager solar from Carbondale, the installation program of the system.

Mountain Valley is solar system rated to 10 kilowatts under maximum solar conditions produce electricity. In the first week it had produced electricity, the amount of electricity to be used for the settlement already 362.

In the course of a year the system is expected to generate at least one third of the electrical requirements at Mountain Valley offices, classrooms and greenhouse in South Glenwood, and store the not-for profit $1,300 on their electricity bill.

While a "toast and tour" celebration Friday on the new concentrated solar system, the project involved also a new roof and lighting upgrades for the 90-year-old building.

"We do not think that it makes sense to put that had a 30-year life, panels on a 32-year-old roof" Christensen said.

-A light tomato red metal roof, which replaced the old, little leaking, faded red roof - cost $49,884 the new roof. A $25,000 scholarship of the Aspen Community Foundation for half of the cost of that paid for the upgrade.

Mountain Valley worked also to its overall electrical requirements to reduce, so that the solar system could compensate for its electrical use more. With the help of the Garfield clean energy challenge replaced Valley its older Office and greenhouse lighting with a more efficient ballasts and lamps. The investment cost $8,735 and a Garfield clean energy rebate for $5000, the cost paid.

About half the cost of the solar system was also paid by discounts. System costs $51,250 install and mountain valley received a $10,000-discount of Governor's energy Office, a $15,000-Glenwood Springs electric and a $3,000 discount-discount by the community for resource efficiency.

$23250, Left the mountain valley health financing cost of the solar system.

The new system increases a smaller solar electric system in the on the top of mountain valley greenhouse, currently from Aspen Skiing co. Environment Foundation funded. The Agency has also space in the solar-powered third street Center in Carbondale.

Now searching employees in installing solar energy at the Agency in mud, a former Church, which has a large South coated roof.

"We have to rebuild our reserves, and then we look at the sludge plant," Christensen said.

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