Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: September 10, 2008
DOE Headquarters Inaugurates 205 kW Solar PV System DOE Awards $6.6 Million for State-Led Clean Energy Projects U.S. Wind Power Capacity Exceeds 20,000 MW NSF to Invest $18.5 Million in Green Grid Technologies Construction Underway on First Geothermal Power Plant in New Mexico Florida Green Power Dispute Puts Spotlight on Marketing Costs DOE Headquarters Inaugurates 205 kW Solar PV System A new 205-kilowatt solar power system was turned on for the first time at DOE’s Forrestal Building on Tuesday, in an inaugural ceremony led by Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman. The new rooftop solar electric system, designed and installed by SunPower Corp., consists of 891 solar PV modules and is 40-50 times larger than a typical residential system. Each module is able to convert 18.5% of the sunlight hitting it into electricity, which is one of the highest conversion efficiencies available for purchase today. The system will generate about 200 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, providing up to 8% of the Forrestal complex’s energy during peak hours and saving as much as $26,000 in utility costs in its first year of operation. Insulation incorporated into each module will provide additional energy savings by reducing the building’s heating and cooling load, […]