Greentech Lead America: City of Tucson has expanded its
solar presence in association with SPG Solar.
The new 2.3 MW rooftop and carport solar power
systems – developed by SPG Solar and interconnected by Tucson
Electric Power (TEP) will provide combined $6.2 million net revenues over 25
years.
The 2.3 MW system will produce nearly 4 million kilowatt
hours the first year, which is equivalent to powering 350 average American
homes annually.
The project created up to 60 green jobs during time of
construction, two student internships, and clean renewable energy.
In 2009, SPG Solar had developed 1 MW of solar for
Tucson.
“This largest City solar project was made possible
with low-interest Clean Renewable Energy Bonds, Tucson Electric Power’s
renewable energy credits and made easy by SPG Solar’s experience and range of
solar services,” said Doug Crockett, City of Tucson Energy Manager.
SPG Solar is providing the City with optimized rooftop
and carport solar power systems at the Tucson Convention Center, Rincon Golf
Links, Hardesty, Randolph, Crime Lab, and two locations at TOPSC. The power
generated at each site will offset, on average, 55 percent of the electricity
used at each location.
“They presented us with a challenge to maximize the
amount of solar electricity the City could generate; so we capitalized on our
years of experience to design, engineer, build and maintain a set of solar
power systems that will deliver the best return on investment,”
said SPG Solar CEO Chris Robine.
TEP will provide financial incentives to the City of
Tucson through the company’s customer-funded large commercial solar program,
which will reduce installation costs. The systems’ output will help TEP work toward
the renewable energy goals established by the Arizona Corporation Commission
(ACC).
“We expect to dramatically expand our solar
generating capacity to more than 200 MW by the end of 2014 through a
combination of company-owned resources, privately developed projects and
distributed generating systems like the ones installed by the City of
Tucson,” said Carmine Tilghman, TEP’s Director of Renewable Resources.