Hey Southern Company! Why not put Solar in Your Own Backyard?

When I first heard Ted Turner say that he had partnered with the Southern Company to build a major solar powered community I said ‘Yeah! it’s about time’. Then I found out that this is a really big deal in — New Mexico. A collaboration between one of Turner’s companies, the Southern Company and thin-film module maker First Solar which will supply 500,000 2’x4′ photovoltaic modules with an installed capacity of 30MW. Turner seemed to imply in an interview on CNN that this would provide energy for 14,000 homes — and I thought he meant a real estate development of that size. However, a Southern Company press release said it would supply power to 9,000 homes — and apparently that is through the sale of the electricity to a regional wholesale power provider under a 25-year power purchase agreement, rather than a new community.  What is impressive: construction starts this month and will start commercial operation by the end of this year. Oh well, it’s a start.

Tags: photovoltaic, Solar energy, solar modules