Arizona Solar Deal Falls Apart While Feds Give a Boost to Other Projects

October 1, 2009

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

As federal agencies get set to approve several renewable-energy projects, primarily in the western part of the country, a solar deal between Starwood Energy Group Global LLC and Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) falls apart.

Starwood Energy Group Global LLC has ended its deal to provide power to Arizona Public Service Co. from a large solar plant it had planned to build in western Maricopa County, reports the Phoenix Business Journal.

Starwood officials told the Phoenix Business Journal they plan to pursue the plant, which may be a smaller version of the initial project, separately.

The 290-megawatt Starwood Solar I plant to be built in partnership with aerospace giant Lockheed Martin was announced in May, but ran into supply chain, financing and engineering issues that made it difficult to meet deadlines in its deal with APS, according to the Phoenix Business Journal.

Utilities like APS that are regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission must have 25 percent of their power generated by renewable sources by 2025, according to the journal. APS officials estimated that with Starwood Solar I it would have met twice the state’s requirements in 2014.

Despite problems with the Starwood-APS solar project, federal agencies are pushing ahead with solar and other renewable energy projects across the country.

As an example, the U.S. Department of Energy approved Tennessee’s State Energy Plan, known as the Volunteer State Solar Initiative, reports CleanEnergy Footprints. The initiative focuses on two projects: a 5-megawatt (MW) solar farm to be located in west Tennessee and the development of a Solar Institute that will be located on the UT campus in Knoxville, according to the blog.

The West Tennessee Solar Farm will be the first megawatt-scale solar installation in the state and one of the largest in the Southeast, according to CleanEnergy Footprints. The project will provide renewable energy to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) while offering research opportunities to learn about the interconnection issues associated with incorporating large-scale solar generation into the grid, reports the blog.

The Solar Institute will focus on accelerating growth in solar industries, providing two grant opportunities that total $23.5 million, according to CleanEnergy Footprints.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of the Interior is expected to approve seven renewable-energy transmission projects on western federal lands by the end of next year, reports the Wall Street Journal.

The Interior Department is accelerating the construction of transmission projects in an effort to streamline the permitting process, though they still face state, local and other federal regulatory hurdles, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The projects range from 150 kilovolt to 500 kilovolt lines in Idaho, California and Nevada, including the Barren Ridge, Devers Palo Verde, Hooper Springs, Hemingway Butte, Palisafes-Goshen, and Southwest Intertie projects, reports the newspaper.

The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced that it is funding a large-scale transmission project between Great Falls, Montana, and Lethbridge, Alberta, with the goal of bringing new jobs and expanding renewable energy production to the western region of the country.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Stay competitive through sustainability.

Find out how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader