Pima's Solar Power Could Double Under 4 New Project Plans

Tag : Solar Panels

Both the city and UA plan expansion of the projects if solar-energytax credits are extended by Congress. Governments can't use taxcredits, but contractors can claim them and reduce the cost forpurchase of the systems or the power they generate.
The UA is currently prevented from generating more than 500kilowatts of power from solar under the terms of its agreement withTucson Electric Power. Both sides want to change that agreement,which would need approval from the Arizona Corporation Commission,said Tom Thompson, assistant to UA Senior Vice President JoelValdez.

"We're all working to change those rules," said TEP spokesman JoeSalkowski. "When those rules were written, the prospect oflarge-scale photovoltaic generation was not on anybody's radar," hesaid.
 
Thompson said the university would prefer to start small anyway."The idea is to put on suitable university roofs a small number, tobegin with, of photovoltaic generators and see how it goes," hesaid. A contractor has been selected for the job, Thompson said, but hecould not talk about the details of the proposal until a contractis signed.

The university's request for proposals identified 24 sites,including all its parking garages and the Student Union, aspotential sites for solar arrays. The city seeks someone to partially power seven city buildings andto provide power for the pumps at its water recharge and storagesite in Avra Valley.
 
The city's request for proposals for the Avra Valley site says itwants to eventually contract for 5 megawatts of power there.
The other city project is for seven city buildings, including ElRio and El Pueblo neighborhood centers.
Those photovoltaic arrays will not be power-purchase agreements,said city solar coordinator Bruce Plenk, but would be financed withfederal Clean Renewable Energy Bonds.
 
The city has issued a request for qualifications for thoseprojects, estimated to cost $5 million and generate 600 kilowattsof power. D-M is offering up to 350 acres suitable for photovoltaic arraysthat will generate, at minimum, one megawatt of power under apower-purchase agreement. The base's request for proposals is in "draft state, waiting forapproval from our major command, the ACC (Air Combat Command),"said a D-M spokesman, Staff Sgt. Jake Richmond. A pre-solicitation published on the Federal Business OpportunitiesWeb site said: "The contractor will design, build, own, operate,and maintain the array(s). The minimum size array contemplated is 1MW, with the maximum being up to the offeror as a businessdecision."