SRP using solar to conserve water

March 18, 2014 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Salt River Project (SRP) has completed Tempe, Arizona's largest solar project to date. Located at Tempe's South Water Treatment Plant, the project features more than 3,000 solar panels that will generate more than 1.6 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year -- supplying 15 percent of the plant's energy needs.

Credit: SRP

Tempe expects to save more than $25,500 in utility costs during the first year, with anticipated savings of $2.3 million over 20 years. The project will reduce the water plant's carbon emissions by 1,130 metric tons annually.

SRP is commending the city of Tempe for investing in green energy in order to provide water to residents, as well as making a commitment to solar energy.

The city will be implementing several solar projects over the next few years. Future projects include a 250 kilowatt facility at Tempe's downtown police/courts building and a 900-kilowatt facility at the city's Johnny G. Martinez Water Treatment Plant.

In 2013, SRP launched a 1 MW solar photovoltaic power plant at Arizona State University's (ASU) that utilizes a tracking system to concentrate the sun's power seven times to achieve one of the lowest levelized costs of electricity for solar power plants today. An added bonus is that the plant uses little of one of Arizona's not so abundant resources -- water.

For more:
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http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/srp-using-solar-conserve-water/2014-03-18