SMUD continues its commitment to solar power

New program manager carries on utility's vision for the future

source: press release 2002.8.6 email

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) continues to expand its solar electric power portfolio under a new program manager and is fulfilling hundreds of customer requests for home-installed solar panels.

Jon Bertolino recently was named as SMUD's superintendent for renewable generation and will lead the nation's largest and most comprehensive utility-sponsored photovoltaics (PV) program. In 2002, SMUD eclipsed a milestone: 10 megawatts (MW) of solar electric power installed in more than a thousand systems, representing over half of all grid-connected PV systems in the U.S. The amount of electricity produced by SMUD's solar power installations is enough to meet the annual needs of more than 1,650 homes. Reaching the 10-MW level puts SMUD well on pace to fulfill its long-term goal of providing 40 to 50 MW of solar power within ten years, enough to serve up to 8,000 homes annually.

SMUD tripled its staff and contractors to help meet the demand for home solar installations in the wake of last year's statewide power crunch. Customer interest increased ten fold over the previous two years. More than 90 percent of the customers on SMUD's waiting list have been contacted and initial site selection and screening should be completed in the fall.

Bertolino says the demand for solar demonstrates that renewable sources of energy are becoming accepted, if not preferred, alternatives among everyday consumers. "Since the statewide energy crisis of 2001, we're seeing customers from all walks of life who want to enjoy some energy independence and help our environment."
Bertolino joined SMUD's PV program last year, focusing on developing SMUD's customer-owned or PV Pioneer II residential retrofit program. Of the nearly 1,700 kilowatts (kW) of PV installed in 2001, almost 1,200 kW were retrofits in more than 220 residential homes and commercial businesses.

The power generated from these installations is net metered, allowing customers to receive credit for electricity they generate but do not use. In some cases, the customer's meter actually spins backward during peak sun periods.

SMUD is also teaming with local homebuilders to incorporate solar power in new home subdivisions. Under SMUD's Solar Advantage Home program, production homebuilders are able to offer commercially built homes that come with solar panel roofs as a standard feature. Bertolino notes that when combined with the latest energy efficient building technologies and appliances, "A Solar Advantage Home can result in net zero energy use. In other words, the resulting electric bill is zero."

Some of SMUD's significant PV projects include:
· 3.9 MW Rancho Seco photovoltaic array, the nation's largest, single site, PV power plant.
· 540 kW Cal Expo Solarport, the world's largest parking lot solar electric shade structure.
· 500 kW array at SMUD training facility at Hedge Road.
· 390 kW atop the Cal Expo Barns providing power for the fairgrounds.
· 370 kW large-array PV installation at the new state Franchise Tax Board building.
· 12 kW PV system integrated into the new East End State Office building in downtown Sacramento, the first building integrated PV system included as part of the design and construction of a new large, commercial building in the western United States.
· A 34 kW system on the roof of the Arden Fair mall.
· A 28 kW array atop SMUD's Customer Service Center.
· A 10 kW PVPII system for TV Channel 10 that powers the "Weather Tower's" forecast display.
· 7 kW systems at the Effie Yeaw Nature Center and the Lembi Aquatic Center in Folsom. For both projects, SMUD used the latest technology, a new "peel and stick" solar module [from UniSolar] that greatly simplifies the installation process.