TEP recognized for Solar Zone

September 24, 2013 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) has received the Environmental Stewardship Award for its continued investment in solar energy at the University of Arizona Science and Technology Park's Solar Zone -- designed to facilitate the construction, testing and evaluation of various solar technologies. The Solar Zone is designed to foster collaboration among solar industry, research and demonstration projects on a single 200-acre site.

Credit: TEP

The University's Solar Zone consists of five solar projects featuring six technologies. TEP has invested $22 million to build, own, and operate two of the projects. With a combined capacity of 21 MW, the power generated by these systems is fed into the grid and delivered to TEP customers. Through TEP's renewable energy procurement process, More than $100 million will be invested in the Solar Zone through TEP's renewable energy procurement process.

"[The Solar Zone is] a unique project that promotes the development of cost-effective solar energy while allowing us to evaluate multiple technologies in one location," said Carmine Tilghman, TEP's director of Wholesale & Renewable Energy.

The Solar Zone features two large photovoltaic (PV) arrays, which produce about 4 MW in addition to a 1.6 MW tracking array that incorporates 11 single axis trackers, utilizing 5,808 275-watt high-efficiency solar modules.

In 2012, more than 5 percent of TEP's total retail sales were generated by renewable resources. TEP currently has more than 150 MW of solar generating capacity, and expects to have more than 228 MW of solar generating capacity by the end of 2014. Future Solar Zone projects include a 4 MW tracking PV array, a 5 MW fixed PV array and a 5 MW concentrating solar thermal plant with integrated storage.

For more:
- visit this website

http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/tep-recognized-solar-zone/2013-09-24