Utah-based sPower has completed its 45 MW Sandstone Solar project, located in Florence, Ariz.
Salt River Project (SRP), a community-based nonprofit utility, is purchasing all of the energy produced at the facility, which is owned and operated by sPower. The project is located on more than 300 acres and utilizes over 182,000 photovoltaic modules mounted on a single-axis tracking system.
“The addition of renewable, clean energy from Sandstone helps us achieve our goal of providing our customers with a diverse portfolio of affordable and reliable energy,” says SRP General Manager and CEO Mark Bonsall.
The SRP Board has set a goal to meet 20% of the utility’s retail electricity requirements through sustainable resources by 2020. Currently, SRP is ahead of schedule – providing more than 14% of retail energy needs with sustainable resources, which include solar, wind and geothermal energy, hydropower, and energy-efficiency programs.
“SRP’s progressive approach to expanding its renewable energy portfolio should serve as an example to other utilities,” says Ryan Creamer, sPower CEO. “We are particularly proud of Sandstone Solar, as it is our largest single-site solar facility to date.”
Tax equity financing for the project was provided by Wells Fargo, which has provided more than $4 billion in capital to renewable energy projects since 2006.
“Wells Fargo is dedicated to supporting environmentally beneficial projects like Sandstone Solar that have a direct, positive impact on our communities,” comments Barry Neal, Wells Fargo’s environmental finance executive vice president.
