Environmental Leader

With the Solar Power International conference taking place Oct. 27-29, a host of solar headlines are hitting the wires. Here is a roundup of recent solar news, much of which was touted at the event in Anaheim, Calif.

California utility Pacific Gas & Electric will buy 500 megawatts of solar power from Nextera and Abengoa Solar. This adds to other solar deals by PG&E recently, for a total of 830 MW, according to a press release.

In Florida, the DeSoto and Space Coast Next Generation Solar Energy Centers has been completed. President Obama was on hand for the grand opening. The photovoltaic facility will provide 25 megawatts of solar, or enough to power about 3,000 homes, and is said to be the largest in the U.S. to date, at 90,000 panels. Click here for a video about the installation, which involved Florida Power & Light Co.

The Pioneer Union Elementary School District in Hanford, Calif., may get up to 77 percent of its electricity needs from a PPA with Enfinity. The installation, which was designed by Conergy, has three ground-mount systems with a collective capacity of 788 kilowatts and should save the school up to $30,000 a year in energy costs, according to a press release.

American Electric Technologies Inc. has entered the solar power market with new custom solar power infrastructure solutions — one for HVAC equipment and one for security, reports BizJournals.

Earth2Tech has put together a photo spread from the solar conference.

Interest in solar energy clearly is growing. Last year the solar conference had 425 exhibitors. This year the number exceeds 900.

For a complete list of exhibitor press release, visit this site and click “news & media” and “exhibitor press releases.”