Posts Tagged ‘NRG Energy’

Two of the three renewable energy projects in Doña Ana County are on-line and producing electricity under a power purchase agreement with El Paso Electric. Construction for the third solar energy project has begun in Las Cruces.

NRG at Santa Teresa

NRG Energy, through its wholly owned subsidiary NRG Solar, completed construction recently on the Roadrunner Solar Generating Facility, which is one of the first large-scale solar projects built in New Mexico.  The Roadrunner Solar Generating Facility is located on 210 acres near the Santa Teresa Port of Entry. Its 340,000 photovoltaic solar panels can produce up to 20 megawatts of electricity, which is enough power to supply 6,600 homes in El Paso Electric’s system. (Related story)

NextEra at Hatch

NextEra Energy Resources, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, recently completed one of the largest concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems in North America on 39 acres in the Hatch Industrial Park, 7 miles west of the Village of Hatch. The 5-megawatt (MW) system, with 81 solar tracking concentrator panels, was funded by Village of Hatch Industrial Revenue Bonds. The Village put an emphasis on New Mexico jobs for New Mexicans. (Related story)

SunEdison at Las Cruces

SunEdison, one of the largest solar energy providers in North America, has begun construction of the solar power generation facility at the City of Las Cruces West Mesa Industrial Park.  The 12MW solar power project is expected to require 230 construction jobs for a 6-9 month period.

NRG Photo

Release courtesy of the New Mexico Economic Development Department

SANTA TERESA, NM — A construction project that created 240 jobs in Santa Teresa culminated with an inauguration ceremony to mark the start of energy production from the state’s second-largest photovoltaic operation on Friday.

“The completion of the Roadrunner solar facility is a major milestone for the New Mexico border region,” said Secretary of Economic Development Jon Barela. “This builds on all the momentum taking place in the region due to the coming together of many entities, including the Border Industrial Association, Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance, NRG Energy, El Paso Electric and First Solar, for the economic development success of Santa Teresa and we are thrilled to have the Roadrunner solar project and this partnership here as a part of the community.”

NRG Energy, through its wholly owned subsidiary NRG Solar, completed construction recently on the Roadrunner Solar Generating Facility, which is one of the first large-scale solar projects built in New Mexico. Cost-competitive, renewable power generated by the facility will be sold to El Paso Electric under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

“This new project is a good example of an economic development opportunity that is characterized by high-technology and a renewable resource that is plentiful in southern New Mexico – sun,” said Jerry Pacheco, Vice-President, Border Industrial Association. “We congratulate NRG Energy, El Paso Electric and First Solar on this milestone and the door it opens to new possibilities for our region.”

The Roadrunner Solar Generating Facility is located on 210 acres near the Santa Teresa Port of Entry. Its 340,000 photovoltaic solar panels can produce up to 20 megawatts of electricity, which is enough power to supply 6,600 homes in El Paso Electric’s system.

By generating clean, renewable energy, the Roadrunner Solar Generating Facility will contribute to cleaner air and result in a smaller carbon footprint for the state.

The Roadrunner facility will use a single-axis tracking system, which pivots PV solar panels to follow the sun throughout the day, increasing electricity production compared with a fixed tilt installation. The panels were made by First Solar Inc., which built the Santa Teresa plant for NRG, and also has a contract to operate and maintain the facility.

NRG Solar started construction in December 2010.

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin

By Marvin Tessneer

The Las Cruces community will connect with renewable energy when NRG Energy starts generating power this fall at its Roadrunner Solar Plant in Santa Teresa.

The solar panel plant is being set up on 210 acres of privately owned land, 10 miles west of El Paso adjacent to El Paso Electric Co. transmission lines.

The plant is designed to create 20 megawatts of solar generated electrical power that will be sold to El Paso Electric Co. under a 20-year power purchase agreement. NRG also plans to invest $21 million in the project in the next three years, according to an NRG Energy news release.

“We’re very pleased that the NRG Roadrunner Solar Facility in Santa Teresa is coming along according to schedule, and we’re looking forward to the site’s presentation this fall,” said El Paso Electric Chief Executive Officer David Stevens. “Our 20-year contract to purchase the power from the facility demonstrates El Paso Electric’s on-going commitment to solar energy research, education and utilization in this area.”

At full capacity, the Roadrunner Solar plant will, in domestic terms, supply enough energy for 16,000 families, according to an NRG Energy news release.

The electricity is generated by what is referred to in the industry as photons in solar photovoltaic panels that are manufactured by First Solar, a company in California.

When photons strike solar cells in the panel, they are reflected, absorbed or passed through the panel. When they are absorbed, they have the energy to knock electrons loose, which flow in one direction within the panel and leave the panels through transmission wires as electric power, according to a First Solar fact sheet.

Voltaic solar panels generate direct current, and El Paso Electric converts it to alternating current with an inverter for domestic and business use, the power company reported.

Electric power generated at the Roadrunner plant will avoid an annual emission of 27,000 tons of carbon when compared with fossil fuel generation, NRG Energy reported.

The advantages of solar power, zero-emission, sustainable energy, coincident with peak demand and compliant with the state are convincing, said David Crane, NRG president, in an earlier news release.

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin

By Marvin Tessneer

NRG Energy Inc. has started construction on its Roadrunner Solar Electric Facility near Santa Teresa, the state’s first solar power plant. The New Jersey-based company is building the Roadrunner Solar Electric Facility on 210 acres of industrial-zoned land about 10 miles north of El Paso. First Solar Inc. will provide engineering, construction and procurement services for the project. The Roadrunner facility will be a 20-megawatt photovoltaic solar project, NRG Energy officials said.

The power will be sold to El Paso Electric Co. under a 20-year power-purchase agreement. At full capacity, the facility is designed to supply the energy demands of about 16,000 families.

“We’re anticipating that NRG will complete the construction this year,” said Rocky Miracle of the Corporative Planning and Development Department at El Paso Electric. “We’re working on the interconnection, and we’re right on schedule. Solar energy generates direct current, but there’ll be a conversion unit at Santa Teresa that’ll feed alternating current into our system.”

NRG Energy expects to have construction completed by fall of this year, said Lori Neuman, director of communications.

“The agreement with NRG demonstrates our desire to add clean, carbon-free energy to our generation portfolio at a reasonable cost for the benefit or our customers, the environment and the communities we serve,” said David Stevens, El Paso Electric CEO. “Electricity generated at the Roadrunner facility will avoid annual emissions of 27,000 tons of carbon when compared to traditional fossil-fueled generation.”

NRG Energy CEO David Crane said the company would like to expand its reach to other parts of New Mexico. “The merits of solar power – zero emissions, sustainable, coincident with peak demand, compliant with state renewable portfolio standards – are clear,” he said. “We hope to further our partnership with the state to bring more of solar power’s many benefits to its residents.”

NRG Energy is installing solar panel arrays that will contain photovoltaic cells to generate direct current electrical power. The panels are manufactured by First Solar, a leading photovoltaic panel manufacturer in the United States, which has been providing solar panels for the NRG Blythe Solar Project in Riverside in southeastern California.

Photovoltaic panels absorb what the industry refers to as photons. “When photons strike the solar cells contained in the panel, they can be reflected, absorbed or pass through the panel. When photons are absorbed, they have the energy to knock electrons loose, which flow in one direction in the panel and exit through connecting wires as solar electricity, ultimately providing power for residential and commercial users,” according to a First Solar report.

Previously, NRG had planned to install a solar-thermal system that used mirrors to reflect and direct sunlight at a steep angle into towers that convert water into steam that turn turbines to generate electric power. But after reviewing the proposal, NRG decided it would take too long to get the solar-thermal system into operation, and it changed to the photovoltaic system, according to NRG officials.

First Solar has provided the photovoltaic panels to the NRG Blythe Solar Project in California. The Blythe plant has the capacity to provide enough energy at peak capacity to serve the needs of 17,000 homes and remove more than 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year.

Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin

By Marvin Tessneer

The NRG Energy Company is planning to use a different power generation system than originally proposed for its Santa Teresa facility. It now plans to use tracking mirrors and photovoltaic panels to convert New Mexico’s ample sunlight into electrical power, a company spokesman reported.

Previously, NRG had planned to use a solar-thermal system that reflected and directed sunlight with mirrors at a steep angle into towers that boiled water for steam-powered turbines to generate electric power.

The company now intends to use solar panel arrays to generate electric power with a photovoltaic system because using a solar-thermal array would take longer, said NRG spokesman David Knox.

“What we have in this system is transforming solar power directly into electrical power,” Knox said. “We’ve been working with El Paso Electric Co. to determine a schedule to bring solar power on line as soon as possible.”

NRG decided to make the change to comply with New Mexico Public Regulations Commission (PRC) time line requirements. NRG also has a purchase agreement with El Paso Electric (EPE) Co.

NRG and EPE had first agreed on a 92-megawatt generation facility, but because the photovoltaic system is a new technology, they agreed to reduce the generation to 20 megawatts, the power company reported.

Construction dates for the photovoltaic plant proposal are pending a review and approval by the PRC, Knox said.

The photovoltaic panels will be set up in arrays. The panels will absorb light photons to turn into electricity.

“When photons strike the solar cells contained in a solar panel, they can be reflected, absorbed or passed through the panel,” according to a First Solar information source. “When photons are absorbed, they have the energy to knock electrons loose, which flow in one direction in the panel and exit through connecting wires as solar electricity, ultimately providing power for residential and commercial users.”

First Solar is the leading photovoltaic panel manufacturer in the United States and has been providing panels for the NRG Blythe Solar Project in Riverside County in southeastern California.

“Power generated by the Blythe Solar Plant can provide enough energy to serve the needs of about 17,000 homes at peak capacity and will replace more than 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year from fossil fuel generation,” a First Solar information release states.

NRG is planning to install the photovoltaic arrays on 450 acres near Santa Teresa, 10 miles west of El Paso. But it has not named a solar panel manufacturer for the project, pending PRC approval, Knox said.

When completed, the solar-power system will be connected with an EPE transmission line, avoiding additional construction, the utility company reported.

NRG has been conducting a 21-megawatt solar power research and development project at the commercial Blythe plant since 2009. The solar-generated power has been sold to Southern California Edison under a 20-year purchase agreement.

“This project demonstrates leadership for California in the utility-scale solar market, providing the lowest-cost solar energy available and helping the state meet its renewable portfolio standard,” the company reported.