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Construction begins on Palmdale solar project

by The AV Times Staff • April 7, 2014

Located on three sites, Palmdale’s Civic Center, DryTown Water Park and Marie Kerr Park, the solar power arrays are comprised of approximately 3,200 photovoltaic panels located on shade structures which were designed to blend with the look and feel of the city’s surroundings.
Located on three sites, Palmdale’s Civic Center, DryTown Water Park and Marie Kerr Park, the solar power arrays are comprised of approximately 3,200 photovoltaic panels located on shade structures which were designed to blend with the look and feel of the city’s surroundings.

PALMDALE — The City of Palmdale on Monday announced the construction of a 976-kilowatt DC solar generation project that will help the city meet California mandates for renewable power generation and greenhouse gas reduction. Scheduled for completion in the summer of 2014, the solar generation project is expected to eliminate 1.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide annually according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data for the region.

The solar project requires no upfront capital from the city. Solar firm PsomasFMG worked with the city to develop the project.  Energy products and services company Constellation is financing the project’s development and will own and operate the system.

The system is expected to generate 1,800 megawatt-hours of electricity per year. Palmdale will purchase the electricity generated by the system at a fixed-rate through a 20-year power purchase agreement with Constellation.  The City estimates that it will save more than $40,000 in electricity costs during the first year of the system’s operation.

“We are very proud of what this project is going to accomplish,” said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford. “It not only will save the taxpayer money, but it will help the city meet its Greenhouse Gas reduction requirements and goals, and allow us to keep our Renewable Energy Credits for future use.  We’re also proud that we took the extra steps to make these structures more aesthetically appealing by adding color and architectural features so that they are visually compatible with their surroundings.”

Located on three sites, Palmdale’s Civic Center, DryTown Water Park and Marie Kerr Park, the solar power arrays are comprised of approximately 3,200 photovoltaic panels located on shade structures which were designed to blend with the look and feel of the city’s surroundings.

“We are very pleased that the City of Palmdale’s leadership has considered both the financial and environmental health of the city by installing solar power at three locations,” said Paul Mikos, president, PsomasFMG.  “With no capital outlay, the city will reduce its ever increasing utility bill and its carbon footprint at the same time.”

“Constellation is pleased to work with the PsomasFMG team in helping the City of Palmdale meet its environmental goals and manage its energy costs,” said Brendon Quinlivan, director, solar sales for Constellation. “Structuring solar projects as power purchase agreements requires no upfront capital from our customers, and provides them with greater price certainty through long-term, fixed power costs.”

California schools and municipalities interested in on-site solar through a power purchase agreement with Constellation may contact PsomasFMG at pmikos@psomasfmg.com or 714-465-4904.

(Information via press release from the city of Palmdale.)

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Filed Under: Palmdale

16 comments for "Construction begins on Palmdale solar project"

  1. StillWaiting says

    April 8, 2014 at 12:35 am

    How about installing some charge stations for the EV drivers here in the Antelope Valley? There are numerous EV drivers in Palmdale and I think its about time the City of Palmdale begin installing EV charge stations. I currently run most of my errands – grocery shopping etc… in Lancaster because I can charge up while I shop. There isn’t one single charge station anywhere in the City of Palmdale and its a bit frustrating. There are charge stations on the majority of elementary, junior and high school campuses but everytime I drive past these schools and I pass them a lot during the week while out driving – I never see ANY EV’s plugged in and charging. I tried to use one on a school campus once and the charge station was restricted use for school district employees only! Really??? I never see them being used at all when I drive by during the day and all I can say is that is a huge waste of money. Why install something that’s not going to be used when that money could’ve been better used towards the students for things like books, technology etc… I happen to know that the chargepoint charge stations cost thousands of dollars each. Here’s another idea, why not open them up to public use during school hours and charge for the use? I’ve paid as much as $3.50/hour to charge and don’t mind paying to charge (It only takes about 3 hours to charge up all the way but still beats filling up several times a week at $60+ a pop in my other regular car). This could be a source of revenue for schools.

    • LeaveMeAlone says

      April 9, 2014 at 5:04 pm

      Really!
      Why would I have to pay for your charging anywhere?
      These darned things do not pay for themselves and are subsidized by my tax dollars to make you feel good about yourself.
      Really!
      How many thousands of hours must be used to pay for one? Why should the taxpayer pay for it?
      YES REALLY!

      • StillWaiting says

        April 10, 2014 at 12:38 am

        You’re just upset because you’re still being ripped off at the pump while us EV drivers are enjoying filling up maybe once every other month – if that. What is regular per gallon now…$4.15? Sure, I don’t mind spending $9 to charge my car. At least I’m not spending $65+ per fill up several times a week anymore. I also enjoy a discounted rate through Edison for charging my car. Who said anything about the tax payers paying for the charge stations?

        • KeepDreaming says

          April 11, 2014 at 2:59 pm

          You sir are silly, Solar creates its own toxic waste during manufacturing. Solar may sound clean but how many years do you have to use it before the benefit out weights the bad. You want solar charging facilities you pay for them yourself hen see how far that 9$ really goes. If all 100 of you in the AV had plants sprinkled around the AV for your “charging stations” you still would out weigh the cost of gasoline. Want to plug it into your house, still takes fuel to generate that power somewhere. Is anyone jealous of you and your “ahem how much was that” electric car? Doubt it when you can get very efficient gas powered vehicles and pay less than you. Also who else is going to pay for that charging station. The COST comes from someone, it all trickles down just like the diarrhea down your leg with all the crap you have been spoon fed.

          • KeepDreaming says

            April 11, 2014 at 3:08 pm

            Also think of this, Walk by one of these solar panel arrays stand in the shade. feel the temperature around the array, walk somewhere else say a tree that produces the shade large enough for you to sit under and relax with grass under it. Feel the difference in the temperature there. Want to reduce carbon, PLANT MORE TREES.

          • sikntired says

            April 11, 2014 at 3:41 pm

            Now, now, stop making sense.

          • LeaveMeAlone says

            April 11, 2014 at 3:42 pm

            Oh, you didn’t mention the toxic waste from used rare earth batteries. Firefighters have to take special toxic substace hazard training to deal with accidents involving electric and hybred vehicles.
            I spend MY MONEY to buy MY CAR/TRUCK and spend MY MONEY to fill them up.
            StillWaiting wants YOU and I to pay for and subsidize THEIR VEHICLE and electricity to put in THEIR CAR.
            IF these things were economically viable, they wouldn’t need to ROB their neighbors to PAY for THEM to feel good about THEMSELVES!
            It’s leagalized theft and that’s all it is!

  2. Heath says

    April 7, 2014 at 10:38 pm

    I like my 2 story home with all it’s rooms and square footage. With 4 kids I need all the space.

  3. bird says

    April 7, 2014 at 6:13 pm

    Read the article again! It’s about environmental goals and managing energy costs; It’s about your carbon footprint. You both might not care but a lot of us do.

    • LeaveMeAlone says

      April 7, 2014 at 11:49 pm

      Oh Brother!
      Carbon Footprint my butt! Do you know the “Carbon Footprint” of the production and building the unit? Did you know the cells begin to degrade from day one? Did a cost-benefit analysis bet performed on the project that includes maintenance and replacing the occasional dead cell?

      Just to do something Because you “care” is a poor reason to do anything. There must be a real, tangible benefit.

      All we’re creating here is and expensive eyesore!

      • bird says

        April 8, 2014 at 7:43 am

        LeaveMeAlone—Because you “care” is a good reason for doing everything. Your mind-set is the reason their is such a problem with overconsumption of energy. Electricity in the United States is generated from fossil fuels, such as coal, natural gas and oil. Solar, geothermal, and wind technologies doesn’t contribute to climate change or air pollution. Air in the high desert is starting to look like Los Angeles basin.

        • KeepDreaming says

          April 11, 2014 at 3:04 pm

          Carbon footprint, ask yourself how much toxic waste is produced in making your solar panels. Ask them just how efficient these panels really are. You think those solar panels grew on a tree and they didn’t require any power to manufacture or produce any chemical waste? Takes energy to create energy. Chemicals going into producing that copper wire, aluminum castings, the photo cells, the PVC insulation, Diodes, The materials to build the blades. The vehicles for transport parts. Nothing is clean.

          • LeaveMeAlone says

            April 11, 2014 at 3:52 pm

            Your talking to a block wall. CARING is more important the FACTS!
            Costs analysis? BAH! All you need is CARING!
            It is this thinking that has made California unfriendly to business and jobs. Why manufacturing has left is due primarily to ENERGY COST because we are SUBSIDIZING these inefficient systems that are unable to be economically viable!

  4. William says

    April 7, 2014 at 3:07 pm

    OK, bird. You can live in a studio or a guest house if you want but people that want a larger home and are willing to pay for it shouldn’t have to listen to you, should they?

  5. bird says

    April 7, 2014 at 2:39 pm

    Great! Now stop building two story houses with tiny separate rooms. Start realizing people don’t need to live in all that square footage.

    • rooney says

      April 7, 2014 at 5:50 pm

      No what does your comment have to do with this article? What’s it to you where people live or what they live in? Geez, get a life!

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