Duke Energy Announces 20 Megawatt Solar Power Project in North-Carolina
Distributed Photovoltaic Solar PowerWe've written a lot about thermal solar power lately (a few examples: Ausra, Brightsource, Torresol, Acciona Energia, etc), but photovoltaic solar power is also in very good health. The latest announcement comes from Duke Energy Carolinas: a $100 million, 20 megawatts plan to install solar panels not just in one or two big solar power plants but at over 850 sites all over North-Carolina.
Where Will the Solar Panels Go?The 850 sites include homes, schools, stores, and factories. All kinds of places that have large unused roofs. People who agree to have solar panels installed on their buildings will get rewards based on the size of the installation and the amount of clean electricity it produces.
Distributed Power GenerationOne of the benefits of this kind of distributed generation is that the power is produced near where it is used, reducing transmission losses and the infrastructure costs that would be required to build new power lines.
If the plan is approved by regulators, the solar panels will be going up over the next two years. Once finished, it should provide power to approximately 2,600 homes.
Photovoltaic Solar PowerTurning Big Box Stores into Solar Power Plants in CaliforniaHairy Solar Panels Could Result From Nanowire Breakthrough19.9%: New Thin Film Solar Efficiency RecordThermal Solar PowerSolar Thermal Power in North-Africa: How Much Land to Power the World?Torresol to Build 3 Solar Thermal Power Plants in Spain for $1.24 BillionBrightSource to Build 500 Megawatts of Solar-Thermal Power in Mojave DesertAcciona Energia to Build Two 50-Megawatt Solar Thermal Power Plants in Spain Ausra: Solar Power Around the Clock, Enough for 90% of U.S. Grid More on Duke Energy's Solar Power PlanDuke Energy Launches Plan to Own and Operate Solar Power Generation at up to 850 North Carolina Sites
