First New Mexico Community Solar Array Dedicated
Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC), Clean Energy Collective (CEC) and Taos Charter School (TCS) held a dedication ceremony for the Foothills Community Solar Array, first community solar array in New Mexico, located at Taos Charter School.
August 29, 2012
Community solar allows community members to purchase solar panels located in centralized solar gardens to offset their electricity use. The Foothills Community Solar Array is being administered by the Clean Energy Collective, which pioneered the community solar model for clean energy production. CEC takes care of maintenance and repair of the Foothills Community Solar Array, and KCEC has agreed to acquire the power from it.
The Foothills Community Solar Array at Taos Charter School will be a historic and enduring monument to environmental education and responsibility. Taos Charter School will use the Foothills Community Solar Array, and its historic status as the first community solar garden in New Mexico, to create excitement in students for using clean, renewable energy. Every day, students will see the array producing clean energy directly from the sun, and they will know that they are doing their part to reduce pollution, slow global warming and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. This will motivate students to consider other ways that they can have a positive impact on their environment.
The community solar concept allows all consumers to utilize clean renewable energy, including renters, those with poorly sighted properties and individuals of all income levels, without having to build a costly system of their own. Owners of community solar panels reap the benefits directly on their monthly electric bills through KCEC.
Taos News Article, July 26, 2012
Construction Photos Courtesy of Sol Luna Solar
Photos taken Week of July 23, 2012
Sol Luna Solar of Dixon, NM, headed by Mark Johnson, is constructing the community solar array, which consists of 420 solar panels mounted on top of a solar carport structure, with room for shaded parking below.
This video below shows structural foundation component of the project being constructed. Special thanks to Sol Luna Solar for putting the video together.
Community Solar Array Construction at Taos Charter School
Solar carports are easy to maintain, protect automobiles from the weather, and provide a convenient place to charge electric vehicles. The photos show the steel structure starting to go up.
Photos taken Week of July 1, 2012
ABOUT KCEC
Kit Carson Electric Cooperative is a member-owned Electric Distribution Cooperative. KCEC is one of 13 electric cooperatives that serve rural New Mexico communities, and one of 44 distribution cooperatives receiving power from Tri-State Generation and Transmission, of Denver, Colorado. KCEC serves over 29,497 members in Taos, Colfax and Rio Arriba Counties. Formed in 1944, KCEC is the second largest cooperative in the State of New Mexico.
ABOUT CEC
Colorado-based Clean Energy Collective is a developer of community-based renewable energy facilities and a national leader in community power generation. CEC pioneered the model of delivering clean power-generation through large-scale facilities that are collectively owned by participating utility customers. The CEC’s proprietary RemoteMeter® system automatically calculates monthly credits and integrates with existing utility billing systems, enabling all utility customers to easily have clean, renewable power credited directly on their monthly utility bills, without modifying their home or office. CEC has community solar partnerships with many other utilities and is working on dozens of other community solar projects nationally and internationally.
ABOUT SOL LUNA SOLAR
Sol Luna Solar of Dixon, NM, headed by Mark Johnson, constructed the community solar array, which consists of 420 solar panels mounted on top of a solar carport structure, with room for shaded parking below. Special thanks to Sol Luna for all the photos. Click here to see a timelapse video of the construction.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Kit Carson Cooperative Community Solar
Local: 575-751-8135
Toll-free: 1-800-530-9631
www.KCECsolar.com
Email us
Clean Energy Collective
Phone: 1-800-646-0323
Email: moreinfo@morecleanenergy.com
Web: www.EasyCleanEnergy.com
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