Boulder City's 'green' power push - Business

PRINT THIS Popular

Dec. 25, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Boulder City's 'green' power push

Two solar projects in city south of Las Vegas produce renewable energy

By JOHN G. EDWARDS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Sempra Generation has announced the completion of the El Dorado Solar Project, a utility-scale solar plant, in Boulder City. The plant uses solar photovoltaic technology that converts sunlight into electricity.
Photo courtesy Sempra Generation

Boulder City, the community established for the builders of Hoover Dam, is securing its claim as a hot spot for renewable energy, including solar power.

Sempra Generation, a subsidiary of San Diego-based Sempra Energy, has announced the completion of the 10-megawatt El Dorado Solar Project, a second utility-scale solar plant there.

Most Popular Stories

CASINOS IN COURT: Testimony heard in Wynn case

Mayor calls Lady Luck casino 'carcass'

Consolidated Resorts files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy

Boulder Dam Hotel forced to close doors

Players turned away at WSOP

Fontainebleau files motion to leave offices

Area economy hits 'pause' period, economist says

Mandarin adds swank to Strip

NEVADAN AT WORK: Local gaming veteran sees opportunity in small Henderson casino

Las Vegas investor seeks approval of Riviera ownership stake

Acciona Solar Power, a majority owned subsidiary of Spanish giant Acciona Energy, started commercial operation of a 64-megawatt solar project called Nevada Solar One in June 2007 in Boulder City.

Hoover Dam, which straddles the Nevada-Arizona border, ranks as the state's biggest renewable-energy project. The dam, which was completed in 1936, generates 2,074 megawatts of hydroelectric power from the Colorado River.

Sempra's project is in the Eldorado Valley, which also is the site of Acciona's project. Acciona's plant, however, uses the sun to heat a fluid that boils water, spinning generators that create electricity.

Sempra's plant uses solar photovoltaic technology that converts sunlight into electricity. The energy from sunlight is transferred to electrons that become part of the electric current.

In addition to bragging rights, Boulder City gets revenue from the solar projects. The city uses lease revenue from land occupied by the power plants to boost its budget, Mayor Roger Tobler said.

The city has established an energy zone in the Eldorado Valley, which offers both abundant sunlight and access to two power substations.

"We can have a clean energy source that's good for us and the West," City Manager Vicki Mayes said. "We see this as our little niche."

Tobler agreed: "We're kind of leaders in the country (in solar power). We've got a lot of exciting things out there."

City officials have received proposals for developing additional solar power plants on 1,100 acres in the energy zone, a 2,000-acre solar energy expansion area and potentially a 2-megawatt solar project that would go up at a wastewater plant. The last project would provide electricity for the municipal electric utility.

Boulder City is reviewing proposals for both solar thermal projects and photovoltaic projects, but the mayor favors solar photovoltaic technology, because it requires virtually no water. Solar thermal plants do consume water, a limited resource in the valley.

In addition, Sempra Chief Executive Michael Allman said photovoltaic technology is a less-expensive source of power than solar thermal projects.

Sempra Generation next year may start expanding its photovoltaic plant to 60 megawatts, Allman said.

Acciona also has been discussing expanding its solar power generation capacity in Boulder City.

Nevada Solar One sells all of its current output to NV Energy, but Sempra's solar project at Boulder City calls for selling all of its current power production to Pacific Gas and Electric.

California state law requires utilities to obtain 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources, such as solar power, by 2010.

"(California utilities) are hungry (for renewable power). No doubt about it," Allman said.

Solar energy developers face one big hurdle, the credit crunch. Although most large-scale projects have long-term power sale contracts with utilities, it's become increasingly difficult to secure financing because of the credit crunch, Allman said.

"It's gotten worse," Allman said. "It's very difficult generally to obtain financing for anything in the current market."

Contact reporter John G. Edwards at jedwards@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0420.

Share & Save

Leave Your Comment	5 Reader Comments
Terms & Conditions The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsiblity of the authors. The reviewjournal.com does not review comments before publication nor guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by the comment policy. If you see a comment that violates the policy, please notify the web editor. Some comments may not display immediately due to an automatic filter. These comments will be reviewed within 48 hours. Please do not submit a comment more than once.
Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. Peter wrote on December 29, 2008 10:51 AM: some of the comments maybe missing the point of this one. Sunshine can create energy. The comment of oil being between $25 -150 is exactly the reason we look for solar power. Sunshine was free 20 years ago and it is free today and will be free 20 years from now. Can not say the same for oil. Yes, it may take a while to pay for itself, but does not create the pollution that oil/coal does there by allowing the world to hang around a few more years.... Tom, Burbank wrote on December 25, 2008 04:27 PM: A Spanish company is running an energy project here? Farewell to a little bit more of America. Where are GE, Edison, etc., and so on? Sitting back like the automobile companies and watching the foreigners pass them by? And where are we, the citizens? Watching the sun set on America. It ain't too late yet, but time's running short. Bighorn wrote on December 25, 2008 08:31 AM: Here we have what looks like an ad for Sempra and Solar One. Solar energy is good on the roof top and Boulder City has a lot of roof tops. Roof top solar is far more efficient for photovoltaics because the energy can be stored in a battery. Many people live off the grid from roof top solar panels because the batteries will run everything at night. A big plant out in the desert can only be effective economically if each megawatt is backed up by a traditional carbon burning energy. A big solar system out in the desert can not store any electricity. This is why solar is more green and economical on the roof. Plus, this is near Boulder City's green belt. They don't allow subdivisions but don't mind if they scrape it up for solar?? I like the desert and the wildlife that lives out there. Scraping it up for this will be inefficient, require the use of backup fossil fuel and muck up the view. Roof top is also better because it does not lose energy in the long transport through the power line. The Solar One plant operates at almost three times the cost of conventional energy. Big solar is not green. Roof top solar is. Too bad we can not buy affordable solar panels and other parts at Lowes. Of course, if we could do that, we would not have to by the energy from Sempra at inflated prices! Don't invest in solar until they can make it more green. More here: http://www.basinandrangewatch.org/SolarDesert. Sherry wrote on December 25, 2008 08:05 AM: We need to utilize every alternative method of energy known to man.The high cost of foreign fuel nearly destroyed out economy and seriously damaged our society this past year. And while the masses are giddily doing the happy dance around the lower prices at the pumps OPEC is planning more deep cuts to raise the price per barrel back up to between 75 and 100. It would cost the equivalent of 60 cents a gallon to charge and drive an electric car. The electricity to charge the car could come from solar or wind generated electricity. If all gasoline cars, trucks, and suv’s instead had plug-in electric drive trains, the amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota. Why don't we use some of the billions in bail out money to bail us out of our dependence on foreign oil? This past year the high cost of fuel so seriously damaged our economy and society that the ripple effects will be felt for years to come. Why not invest in setting up some alternative energy projects on a national basis, create clean cheap electricity, create millions of badly needed new green collar jobs, and get out from under our dependence on foreign oil. What a win -win situation that would be. I just read a new book out called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence NOW by Jeff Wilson. I wish all our government officials would read this book! www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com We can't take another year like this past. Green wrote on December 25, 2008 06:17 AM: As long as Big Oil ranges from $25-$150 in a matter of months, Green, will be just a dream. A small wind & solar setup will take a decade to pay for itself, and then, only if you don`t count your time!