Tag:

Alabama

Alabama PSC Approves 500 MW Renewable Energy Plan

by Steve Hanley September 14, 2015

Alabama has 2 megawatts of installed renewable power at present, which ranks it among the bottom 10 states in that category. But that is going to change quickly, after the Alabama Public Service Commission gave its blessing recently to a plan that will allow Alabama Power to add 500 megawatts of new renewable power within 6 years.

According to See News, Alabama Power will now begin developing wind, solar, and other renewable energy projects of up to 80 MW each. It may also sign power purchase agreements (PPAs) with developers outside Alabama for the first time. Alabama has more solar resources than most other states in the US.

The PSC plan puts a 160 megawatt annual cap on renewable capacity unless Alabama Power makes a written request to surpass that limit. The plan has the enthusiastic support of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

Southern-tier states enjoy much more sunlight than northern states and could generate most if not all the electricity they need from renewable sources. Alabama has failed to capitalize on its renewable assets until now, but will soon become a model for its neighboring states to emulate.

September 14, 2015 0 comment

Activism Market Research Other Renewable Energy PV Solar Policy Solar Projects Solar Research

SEIA Urges Approval Of Alabama Renewable Energy Proposal

by Joshua S Hill July 24, 2015

written by Joshua S Hill

The US Solar Energy Industries Association has applauded Alabama Power’s proposal to install up to 500 MW renewable energy generation, the organization just announced in an email to Solar Love.

Also posted on its website, the US Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has urged the Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC) to approve the proposal put forth by Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company, which would see up to 500 MW of renewable energy generation installed in the state.

Alabama Power released information on its proposal earlier in the month, which included a variety of projects of up to 80 MW each, totalling around 500 MW over a six year period. According to Alabama Power, the proposal “would provide broad options for the company to work with customers who have made renewable generation a priority, while protecting other customers from bearing additional costs.” It also notes that such capacity expansion could provide clean energy up to 100,000 homes across the service area.

July 24, 2015 0 comment

Going Solar Investment

98% Of Electricity Can Be Generated By Solar Panels At Alabama Steel Plant

by Jake Richardson August 21, 2014

written by Jake Richardson

This is a big story, though there doesn’t seem too much coverage about it yet. Apel Steel Corporation in Cullman, Alabama had a 340 kW PV solar system using over 1,000 solar panels designed and installed to generate up to 98% of its electricity.

It has been reported that Apel Steel could save $3,000,000 over the life of the solar panel system. Solar power is often criticized for being too expensive, but in this case we see an example of a very large potential return-on-investment, rather than a loss of money.

“This was a uniquely challenging installation. Not only did we have to engineer and deliver a fully self-contained and optimized power plant, but wire management and overall installation logistics were complex. On top of this, we had to install the system on uneven, undulating terrain,” explained Chuck Boggs, CEO of ACE LLC SOLAR, the developer and installer.

1,088 Suntech PV solar panels were inserted into 45 Solar FlexRack Series G1Lracking mounts for the new power plant. A utility scale energy harvesting, monitoring and distribution optimizer helps the company maintain a local grid. Called an enerG•Station, it allows for the use of renewable energy and storage of surplus in nearby batteries to be used when needed.

The goal was to make Apel Steel energy independent, as in an off-grid business. Off-grid is a term often associated with clean energy early adopters that own homes they power with solar and wind technology. Sometimes these people are dismissed as being crackpots or ‘granolas’, but a large steel corporation would be considered very mainstream societally. Alabama is also a conservative state, where solar power has not exactly flourished. Apel Steel’s successful investment goes against the local cultural grain, but it also simply makes business sense.

Alabamapower.com has stated that Alabama’s southeastern region similar has sunshine abundance to parts of Florida, so in a physical sense solar power can function well enough there. However, Alabama may be lacking in state incentives to encourage more solar growth.

The fact that a company dependent upon heavy machinery utilizing much energy could dare to go solar, is a testament to the viability of renewable energy for some business applications. The solar installation also took place on unlevel ground with heavy clay and a rocky landscape. That challenge was also taken on and overcome.

Companies like Apel Steel should be commended for taking the lead on clean energy development. Solar panels have steadily declined in price over the last couple of years, so they have become more attractive both for consumers and business owners. Another potential benefit of taking a leading position on operating a business using clean energy is that it can generate free positive press.

Apel was founded in 1941 and today makes a very wide range of steel products.

August 21, 2014 10 comments