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Arizona Western College Solar Array Installation
Between March and December of 2010, AWC and PPA Partners will install a solar array second to none in the United States on the main campus of Arizona Western College. Primarily designed as a testing and educational array, the installation will allow AWC to harness the area’s climatologically unique features to generate its own energy.
AWC is poised to become a leader in renewable energy technology and education, with support from corporate partners.
Get ready to turn the page on history in the sunniest place on earth: Yuma, Arizona*.
AWC Solar Array
- 5 megawatts makes this the single biggest solar installation at a U.S. college or university
" 4.995 megawatts—new installation
" 105.6 kilowatts—existing rooftop array at AWC
- Will test 5 different photovoltaic technologies
- No water consumption requirement
- Most participating technologies boast small cradle to grave footprint – 97% recyclable components
- Most participating technologies use existing materials, no toxic or rare items making manufacture both economically supportable and sustainable
- 3rd Party Solar Monitoring will control data feed
- Planned deployment: eastern and southern areas of main campus
Green Clean Renewable Energy
- Will cover 100% of the college’s daytime energy needs, reducing district costs
State-of-the-Art Workforce Development and Curriculum
- Student and faculty access to cutting-edge technologies
- Curriculum in development, including
- Occupational certificate
- Workforce training
- Associate’s of Applied Science
- University Partnerships for articulated Bachelor, Master’s
Powerful Partnerships Nationally and Globally
- Arizona Public Service is supporting the installation
- Interested companies include
- Signet Solar
- SKYLINE Solar
- SolFocus
- Satcon
- Canadian Solar
- DelSolar
- Ray Tracker
Yuma Manufacturers’ Association Spurs Industry Training
The Yuma Manufacturers’ Association was formed in 2006 to address concerns about workforce issues raised in a business survey. A customized training curriculum was designed around the common needs of local industry:
- Industrial Electric
- Programmatic Logistic Controls
- Controls
- “Super Manager” course was designed in conjunction with the technical training
Courses were developed through the cooperative efforts of local groups, with equipment donated by a local industrial equipment shop; classroom space provided by Arizona Western College and computers by the Workforce Investment Board.
Companies can send their employees to centralized training sites or opt to have someone from their own staff become a certified instructor at their place of business.
There are currently 10 participating companies in YMA. The group has passed approximately 120 individuals through the multiple training courses. In addition to college credit, participants now receive National Certified Accreditation.
Arizona Solar Center
www.azsolarcenter.com
Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association
www.arizonasolarindustry.org
Power Systems Engineering Research Center (PSERC)
www.pserc.org
Solar Electric Power Association
www.solarelectricpower.org
Education and Training
Arizona Western College
- Alternative Energy Education
Partnership provides industry training in engineering subjects related to green energy.
www.azwestern.edu
Arizona State University
- Solar Initiative
solar.asu.edu - Global Institute of Sustainability
www.sustainability.asu.edu - NanoFab foundry
www.fulton.asu.edu/nanofab/ - National Center of Excellence on Smart Innovations
www.asusmart.com
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Why Yuma for Solar Manufacturing?
Some of the major advantages for business in Yuma:
- Yuma is a natural transportation hub with over 50 million consumers within a one day truck haul via Interstate 8 or US 95 both of which run directly through Yuma County.
- Yuma typically has an annual Direct Normal Solar Radiation of 7.0 to 7.5 kWh/m
- New state incentives significantly reduce upfront capital cost burden
- Abundant labor with no union presence
- Competitive wage rates
- Arizona Western College has instituted a “Renewable Energy” curriculum
Market Conditions
- Arizona’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) has set a goal to require 15 % of their energy from renewable energy sources by 2025
- California's Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) is one of the most ambitious renewable energy standards in the country (33% by 2020)
- Arizona Public Service (utility company) offers aggressive incentives to promote commercial and residential solar installation
- California’s Solar Initiative earmarks $3.3 billion to put solar on 1 million roofs in the state
Arizona Public Service AZ Sun Program
With the approval on March 3, 2010 by the Arizona Corporation Commission of the AZ Sun program, Arizona Public Service took a major step forward in increasing its ability to deliver solar energy to customers. Through the expected four-year life of the program, APS plans to invest up to $500 million for 100 megawatts of turn-key photovoltaic power plants across Arizona. APS' renewable portfolio is expanding rapidly, growing from less than one MW in 2001 to more than 245 MW today. This is enough energy to meet the needs of more than 60,000 homes. Until the time that the costs of the first 50 MW of the AZ Sun program are recovered in base rates, the costs will be recovered through the existing Renewable Energy Surcharge. Costs for the remaining 50 MW will be recovered through an adjustment mechanism to be determined in APS' next retail rate case.
Solar Manufacturing
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Wage Comparison
Solar Manufacturing Jobs
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Why Yuma for Solar Farms?
Some of the major advantages for business in Yuma:
- Yuma typically has an annual Direct Normal Solar Radiation of 7.0 to 7.5 kWh/m
- New state incentives significantly reduce upfront capital cost burden
- Arizona Western College has instituted a “Renewable Energy” curriculum
- 308 sunny days per year
- On the border of California’s high electric rates and aggressive RPS goal
- Ready-to-go, inexpensive sites close to grid
Market Conditions
- Arizona’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) has set a goal to require 15 % of their energy from renewable energy sources by 2025
- California's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is one of the most ambitious renewable energy standards in the country (33% by 2020)
- Arizona, which has the most aggressive Distributive Generation in the United States, requires 30% of the RPS to come from it.
Case Study: Nextlight ‘Aqua Caliente’ Solar Farm
NextLight Renewable Power, LLC is a renewable energy company focused on developing, acquiring, owning, managing, and operating utility-scale solar plants in the western U.S. They have developed, permitted and constructed over 8,000 MW of renewable energy in the west
The company acquired an option to convert agricultural land for solar development in the Yuma region. At their request, GYEDC stepped in to address community concerns about environmental hazards and taking agricultural land out of production. In addition to these public relations efforts, GYEDC prepared an economic comparative analysis highlighting the advantages and disadvantages or agriculture versus solar.
NextLight is now working to ascertain permitting and financing and they plan to be operational in the Yuma area by 2013.
Increasing Power Capacity
Arizona Public Service will be increasing transmission capabilities with these key projects to better serve users with large scale utility requirements.
North Gila to TS-8 Substation 230kV Transmission Line Project - This project is required to serve the increasing need for electric energy in the city of Yuma. . APS' North Gila to TS-8 Transmission Project will improve the reliability of the APS electric system in the Yuma area by providing a high-voltage transmission source to the central Yuma area to support the current 69kV distribution system. The TS-8 Substation will be constructed as a 69 kV substation in 2010 and will be expanded to a 230kV/69kV substation.
Solar Farm Industry
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