The renewable energy projects consist of 8 solar power systems, a landfill gas generation project and a New Mexico wind farm.
The commission's endorsement allows developers of the renewable energy systems to proceed with finalizing financing, securing land rights and clearing other necessary hurdles in hopes of completing their projects in time to begin providing power in 2011 or 2012.
"These systems will dramatically expand our renewable energy assets, helping us meet or even beat our state goals while establishing TEP as a national leader in solar energy," says Paul Bonavia, Chairman, President and CEO of TEP.
The 8 Solar Projects
The 8 solar projects would have a total capacity of 97 MW and be developed in the Tucson area.
They consist of:
- Three solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays built with fixed, stationary panels, including systems capable of generating 35 MW, 25 MW and 5 MW;
- Two solar PV arrays with single axis tracking – one rated at 12 MW and another at 4 MW; and
- Three concentrating solar PV (CPV), One of these systems would be capable of generating 12 MW, while two others would produce up to 2 MW each.
Landfill Gas
The landfill gas project is to develop a 2.2 MW biogas generator at Pima County's Tangerine Landfill, where methane gas is produced naturally through the decomposition process. TEP already produces up to 5 MW of renewable energy from methane captured at the City of Tucson's Los Reales Landfill.
Wind
The 50 MW wind farm would be developed near TEP’s existing natural gas Luna Energy Generating Station in Deming, New Mexico.
Further Projects
The proposed renewable energy projects will complement two new solar power systems already planned to be built in the Tucson area by January 2012.
Fotowatio Renewable Ventures is building a 25 MW single-axis tracking solar PV array near Marana, while Bell Independent Power Corp (BIPC) is building a 5 MW concentrating solar power (CSP) plant at the University of Arizona's Science and Technology Park.
Before those systems come online, TEP will add 1.8 MW of capacity this year to its 4.6 MW solar PV plant Springerville Generating Station Solar System.
TEP also will build a 1.6 MW single axis tracking solar PV array at the University of Arizona Science and Technology Park later this year.