NEWS FROM WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 18,
2007
CONTACT: Randy Wilkerson, 720-962-7056, wilkerson@wapa.gov
FORT CARSON TO HOST ARMY'S LARGEST SOLAR ARRAY
LAKEWOOD, Colo.—A cooperative project between
the U.S. Army, private business, two utilities and
Western Area Power Administration will give Fort
Carson, Colo., one of the largest onsite solar plants
in the state and the largest solar array at a U.S.
Army facility.
3 Phases Energy Services, LLC, SunTechnics, Inc., and MS Greenrock, LLC, will develop, install and finance a 2-megawatt, ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array on a decommissioned landfill at the base covering almost 15 acres. The system will generate 3,200 megawatt-hours of clean renewable energy annually, reflecting the U.S. Army's strong commitment to renewable energy.
Under its power marketing authority, Western's Rocky Mountain Region wrote two contracts to allow Fort Carson to buy power from the array as supplemental energy for a low fixed cost for 20 years. Colorado Springs Utilities provides services to Fort Carson's and is monitoring the PV system. 3 Phases Energy will sell the renewable energy certificates to Denver-based Xcel Energy under the investor-owned utility's Solar Rewards program.
Xcel will apply the RECs to compliance with Colorado's voter-enacted renewable portfolio standard. Gov. Bill Ritter recently led a successful campaign that doubled the renewable energy requirement to 20 percent by 2020.
"We hope to use this collaboration as a model for other Federal customers who have expressed interest in similar types of projects," said Western Renewables Program Manager Randy Manion. "It is a great way to expand the use of renewable energy while meeting the needs of many different parties."
"The Fort Carson solar project represents the collaboration of six or seven major players, each of whom has played a decisive role in its success," said Erik Rothenberg, chief green officer at 3 Phases Energy.
The ground-mounted solar array will consist of flat-plate, thin-film solar technology provided by First Solar, an Arizona company. The solar modules are warranted for 25 years and the plant can be expected to produce energy efficiently for up to 40 years.
“Reducing Fort Carson’s reliance on fossil fuels helps us build a sustainable energy future that is good for our bottom line, the environment, and national security,” said Vince Guthrie who oversees Fort Carson’s utilities and electric bills.
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Western Area Power Administration annually markets and transmits more than 10,000 megawatts of power from hydroelectric powerplants owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 15 western and central states. It is part of the Department of Energy.
Serving the West with Federal hydropower
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