21 May 2012

Enbridge and First Solar complete 50MW Silver State North Nevada project

First Solar Inc of Tempe, AZ, USA, which manufactures thin-film photovoltaic modules based on cadmium telluride (CdTe) as well as providing engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services, has announced completion of the 50MW(AC) Silver State North Solar Project in Clark County, NV, which was acquired in March by energy distributor Enbridge Inc of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

First Solar developed and constructed the facility, and will operate and maintain the project for Enbridge. It expects to recognize revenue from Silver State North in second-quarter 2012. the facility’s output will be purchased by NV Energy under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA).

The plant has created more than 380 construction jobs, and will produce enough energy to power about 9000 Nevada homes, displacing some 42,000 metric tonnes of CO2 per year (equivalent to taking about 8000 cars off the road).

At a ceremony earlier in May near the community of Primm, NV, US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar dedicated what is the first utility-scale solar facility built on public lands. “As the first solar project on US public lands completed and ready to deliver energy to thousands of homes across Nevada, the Silver State North Solar Project is really at the forefront of our nation's clean energy economy,” commented Salazar. “I applaud the work and vision of many that have made this day a reality, including the Bureau of Land Management, the State of Nevada, First Solar and Enbridge,” he added.

“Enbridge has invested almost $3bn in wind, solar, geothermal, waste heat recovery, fuel cell and a host of other alternative energy technology projects that, together, have the capacity to generate almost 1000MW of emissions-free energy,” said Enbridge’s president Al Monaco. “Along with our investment, Silver State North was made possible through the Nevada Government’s Renewable Portfolio Standards Program, the Federal Government’s incentive program under the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the long-term contract that Enbridge has with NV Energy,” he added.

“We are very pleased to bring on line the first utility-scale PV solar project on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in Nevada, which would not have been possible without support from the Department of the Interior and the hard work and dedication of county, state and BLM officials,” said Frank De Rosa, First Solar’s senior VP for business development, the Americas.

Tags: First Solar Thin-film photovoltaic CdTe

Visit: www.enbridge.com

Visit: www.firstsolar.com