Air Force to install largest solar PV system in U.S.

LAS VEGAS, Nevada, US, May 2, 2007. Construction on the largest solar system in the United States has started at an air force base in Nevada.

The 70,000 solar panels at Nellis Air Force Base will generate 25 million kWh of green power a year and supply one-quarter of the base’s power. The 70,000 ground-mounted panels will cover 140 acres of land leased from the USAF at the western edge of the base and rely on an advanced tracking system to follow the sun.

Nevada Power, MMA Renewable Ventures (a subsidiary of Municipal Mortgage & Equity (MuniMae)) and PowerLight (a subsidiary of SunPower) are the partners in the venture. The 15 MW facility will use PowerLight’s PowerTracker to capture 30% more energy than an equivalent ground-mounted fixed-tilt system, and will generate the power of a rooftop solar system with a rating of 18 MW.

MMA Renewable Ventures will finance, own and operate the system and sell the green power to Nellis under the terms of a power purchase agreement. The energy will support the 12,000 military and civilians at Nellis Air Force Base, which is home of the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center with five wings and 150 aircraft. It conducts global combat operations with the Predator unmanned aerial vehicle.

“The best way to create U.S. energy security is to develop our affordable, domestic resources,” says senator Harry Reid of Nevada. “Nevada and the United States have the technology and natural resources to serve our growing power demand with clean, reliable renewable energy.”

“We are actively developing our solar power resource, adding to our portfolio of renewable energy resources serving our customers,” says Walter Higgins of Sierra Pacific Resources, parent company of Nevada Power. “The Nellis solar system is our latest commitment to a set of solar power projects. In total, Nevada Power will generate more solar electricity per capita than any utility in the nation. The project accelerates Nevada Power's compliance with our solar power goals six years ahead of schedule.”

“In addition to its sheer size and the Air Force's impressive dedication to furthering renewable energy deployment, the Nellis project demonstrates how a carefully crafted third-party finance solution can effectively meet the needs of even the largest federal and municipal energy consumers,” adds Matt Cheney of MMA Renewable Ventures. “Solar power is the fastest growing energy resource to help meet our escalating power demand, generating reliable, affordable power without creating emissions or waste,” says Tom Werner of SunPower.

“The Nellis solar power plant is the start of the way ahead for future DoD and community partnership,” explains Col. Michael Bartley, commander of the 99th Air Base Wing at Nellis. “The base will benefit from the energy produced, the environment benefits from using clean solar energy, and we may even test state-of-the-art security measures at the site. This is a good thing for everyone.”

Nevada Power is a regulated public utility that generates and distributes electricity to 750,000 customers in southern Nevada communities near Las Vegas. MMA Renewable Ventures manages and finances renewable energy assets in the U.S. through leases and PPAs. PowerLight has installed 100 MW of large solar power systems and its owner, SunPower, designs and manufactures solar cells and panels which it claims will generate 50% more power per unit area than conventional solar technologies.

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