Southern California Edison Begins Construction
of World's Largest Solar Panel Installation Project
Jul 16 - Business Wire
Southern California Edison (SCE) today began installing solar panels at the
first of approximately 150 Southern California commercial rooftops that
eventually will make up SCE's two square mile solar generation project --
the largest solar panel installation in the world.
During the next 45 days, SCE will attach 33,000 solar panels to a
600,000-square-foot commercial roof in Fontana, Calif., leased from ProLogis.
When completed, this first installation will be capable of generating 2
million watts of power, enough electricity to supply approximately 1,300
average Southern California households at a point in time. This new, clean
power supply will be fed directly into the nearest neighborhood distribution
circuit, strengthening grid reliability in the nation's fastest growing
urban area, the Inland Empire region of Riverside and San Bernardino
counties. SCE expects to connect the first panels to its grid in early
September, which will help meet peak summer power needs.
First Solar, developer of an advanced thin-film photovoltaic technology, has
been selected as the winning bidder in a competitive solicitation to supply
the PV system for this first installation.
"First Solar's successful bid validated our cost forecast to regulators --
SCE's solar energy project will significantly reduce the cost of installed
photovoltaic generation in California," said SCE President John R. Fielder.
"We are pleased to work with Edison on a project we believe will demonstrate
the solar PV system business model needed to dramatically reduce
distributive solar electricity costs," said Michael J. Ahearn, CEO of First
Solar. "Edison's project confirms the important role of PV solar power
plants in delivering clean, affordable electricity to the nation's fastest
growing urban areas."
Subject to regulatory approval, during the next five years SCE plans to
install 3.5 million of the most advanced photovoltaic panels or 250
megawatts of solar generating capacity--enough capacity to serve
approximately 162,000 Southern California homes. Decisions have not yet been
made on other building sites or panel suppliers.
SCE asked the California Public Utilities Commission on March 27 for
approval to commit a total of $875 million to the utility's solar project,
informing regulators the expected capacity cost per installed watt would be
approximately $3.50, half the average current capacity cost of other
photovoltaic installations. Subsequently, on May 8, SCE provided additional
cost projections to regulators, telling them the utility forecasts an energy
cost of approximately 20 cents per kilowatt-hour after adjusting for time of
delivery.
Numerous Potential Benefits Seen
SCE sees numerous benefits to customers, the region and the state from its
solar project. The program will provide a new generation source to areas
where customer demand is rising. The solar modules will be connected
directly to the nearest neighborhood circuit, eliminating the costly,
time-consuming step of building new transmission lines to bring power to
customers. The output of solar panels closely matches peak customer demand
-- lower in the morning and evening, higher in the afternoon.
SCE anticipates the project will create new jobs in Southern California in
the solar industry. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, one
of SCE's project partners, is supporting the project though the expansion of
its solar apprentice training program.
SCE's massive solar project also is designed to supplement several
California environmental programs, especially the Million Solar Roofs
program that provides incentives to encourage Californians to install solar
projects by 2017. The solar program supports the state's Global Warming
Solutions Act, which requires the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to
1990 levels by 2020, as well as complementing California's renewable
portfolio standard, the goal that 20 percent of the state's electricity be
generated with renewable energy.
How It Works
Solar panels are made of materials that convert sunlight directly into
electricity through a chemical process.
-- Thin semiconductor layers form an electric field, positive on one side
and negative on the other side.
-- When sunlight strikes the semiconductor, electrons are knocked loose from
the atoms of the material creating the current.
-- Wires are attached to the positive and negative sides to carry the
electricity from the cell to the device to be powered.
An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is
the largest electric utility in California, serving a population of more
than 13 million via 4.8 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile
service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.
(Note to Editors: Video and high-resolution photos are available at
www.sce.com/solarevent.) |