Solar power in Utah has the potential to provide all the electricity used in the United States. Utah is one of seven US states with the best potential for solar power, along with California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas. Utah allows cleaner measurements for residential systems up to 25 kW and up to 2 mW for non-residential users. Utah's renewable portfolio standards can be described as goals and calls to get 20% of electricity from renewable sources by 2025 - if cost effective.
Since 2011, with 30% federal tax credits, prices have come down to the point that they provide an attractive return on investment. Utah allows up to 25% $ 2,000 tax credit for residential systems and up to 10% credit of $ 50,000 for commercial systems. St. George offers $ 2000/kW (AC) rebates of up to $ 6,000 for residential systems, and up to $ 20,000 for commercial systems. A similar offer from Rocky Mountain Power for $ 1.10/watt (AC) was fully subscribed for 2016, and in March 2016 the program was terminated by the Senate Senate Utah Bill SB0115.
Utah has the potential to generate 1,500,000 GWh/year of 826 GW concentrated solar power generation (CSP) using 6,371 square miles - about 7.5% of the country. CSP has advantages over integrated storage photovoltaics, enables 24 hour operation, and allows hourly output to track demand, with balances stored as heat. CSPs are not able to keep pace with seasonal changes, although at the peak demand demand is correlated with peak solar output, due to AC loads. Utah is one of 11 countries that are each capable of providing all the electricity used in the United States from CSP.
On October 8, 2015, Utah's largest solar power circuit at the time was completed, a 2.02 MW array at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy.
Video Solar power in Utah
Solar Energy Zone
On April 20, 2012, the Land Management Bureau identified 17 "Solar Energy Zones" with the best potential for priority solar power development. Three of them are in Utah. In addition to the Solar Energy Zone, 18,098,040 hectares is available in Utah for permission of solar applications from BLM, plus 1,962,671 acres with variance.
- Escalante Valley - 6,533 acres (26.4 km²) 588 - 1,058 MW 37 Â ° 55? N 113 Â ° 27? W
- Milford Flats South - 6,252 acres (25,3Ã,²Ã,²) 576 - 1,037 MW 38à ,  ° 11? N 113Ã,  ° 04? W
Maps Solar power in Utah
Photovoltaics
Use of solar array residence
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that approximately 2,700 Rocky Mountain Power customers have solar panels in May 2014; a figure that grew by 30% per year.
Rocky Mountain Power, a PacifiCorp subsidy and utility provider for Utah state, offer incentives between $ 0.60 and $ 1.25 per watt generated by participants in net measurements.
Use and production
Utah energy resource consumption consists of fossil fuels and renewable resources. In 2009, the population, business and industry combined, consuming approximately 27.411 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity; 0.01% of which are produced by the sun. Of the total energy produced in 2009, 1090 trillion Btus, 0.1% is generated by solar power.
The production of solar energy through housing net measurements has been steadily increasing since 2008. From 2008 to 2009, the number of households participating in the program increased fivefold, placing 18 Utah, in the country.
According to Utah Herbert's Strategic Energy 10 Year Strategic Plan, 72% of the crude oil used in transportation comes from outside the country's sources; the pursuit of clean technology for non-traditional fuels is "very important for the economy [Utah], air quality and quality of life".
Country law
The terms of the Utah sun eligibility are similar to those in other countries, where those parties may voluntarily sign a written contract, enforceable by law, once executed with the land. However, the Utah Public Service Commission plans to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of electricity produced by consumers and its impact on the current electrical system. This study can set a national precedent, as no state regulatory body conducts a full-scale solar power assessment with a net meter. This study does not consider the benefits of clean energy for health and the environment. It evaluates the solar-generated energy as if it were produced by coal, the main source of strength in Utah. Many eastern states value their clean energy with cap-and-trade laws. Utah also provides a non-refundable and refundable tax credit for eligible solar projects.
A bill in the Senate of Utah, SB0115 sponsored by Senator Stuart J. Adams, ended the Rocky Mountain Power Energy Program in March 2016. The bill was titled "Transportation and Sustainable Energy Plan Law" but contained languages ​​lacking support for energy sun, even after some amendments. Some claim that the elaborate bill aims to bypass the oversight of the Public Service Commission and allow roads to make solar roof unattractive. The Senate bill failed a vote in the House of Representatives the last afternoon of the legislative day it was in session, and the solar supporters were relieved. But later that night 'after dinner' the bill was brought back to the House for 'reconsideration' by Representative V. Lowry Snow, and after further dialogue from the Representative of Snow, another vote was made at the House of Representatives and this time the bill was passed.. KSL Articles "House approves the raised Rocky Mountain Power bill"
Previous attempts to change the Solar Net Metering agreement for Rocky Mountain Power were rejected by the Utah Public Service Commission. It questioned support for the solar roof in Utah by the largest state utility Rocky Mountain Power, which is now owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE).
- "Buffett Says He Loves Renewable Energy, So Why Does His Company Try to Kill Solar Energy?"
- "Energy Company Warren Buffett Says Clean Metering Should Be 'Eliminated'"
Solar Utah Access Law
Under the Utah Code, Title 10, Chapter 9a, Section 610, grants the authority of the use of land of power to deny the consent or renewal of a homeowner's association or other private agreement prohibiting "solar collectors, lines of clothes, or other reasonably designed and grounded energy devices".
Solar easements
Voluntary solar salvages can be made by property owners to protect long-term access to sunlight. Engagements must be "made in writing and must be filed, recorded and indexed appropriately in the regional recording office where permission is granted".
Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR)
Part of Utah State Bill 75 in 2006 allocated $ 179 million for the USTAR Economic Development Initiative, $ 15 million in ongoing annual funding for research teams at Utah University and Utah State University and $ 160 million for the construction of a new research facility.
Included in this appropriation are funding for alternative and renewable energy research, including catalysts and solar technologies. Produce new biotechnology companies including Binergy Scientific, Nanosynth Materials and Sensors, and Nanosynth Energy Technologies.
Economic impact
From fiscal year 2007 to 2011, USTAR generated more than $ 700 million in job-related income, gross country products, state tax revenues and local tax revenues, as described in the table below from the 2012 report by the Bureau of Economics and Business Research at David Eccles School of Business at University of Utah
Construction
Construction spending for the USTAR research facility has had the greatest economic impact for the country, supporting an average of 801 jobs annually, and generating $ 143.2 million in employment income in Utah. Both facilities, BioInnovations Center at Utah State University and Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building at the University of Utah, are LEED Gold certified.
Molensul Sorenson Biotechnology Building
Officially dedicated in 2012, Molecular Biotechnology Building of James L. Sorenson is part of four rectangular buildings. This 208,000 square foot building has a transparent design, allowing natural light to enter 75% of the interior. Built for LEED Gold certification standards, this facility will reduce energy and use a cost of nearly 40%. Sustainable features include multistage evaporative cooling systems and volatile organic compounds. Bioswales Vegetation, inserted in the landscape, collects and filters surface runoff.
A total of 33,000 cubic meters of concrete and 6.8 million pounds of reinforcing steel are used in building construction. The concrete used has high fly ash content. Local renewably sourced rocks and copper are also used in construction.
Attempt training
After 34th place in the country, Utah has taken a bigger step to produce green jobs in the state. The establishment of Intermountain Weather Training Center in Clearfield has trained thousands of new workers for state-of-the-art green jobs, including certified solar installations. The purpose of this 14,000 square foot facility is to use hands-on training with advanced equipment to train workers in accordance with US Department of Energy guidelines for home energy professionals. The Intermountain Weatherization Center (IWC) is funded from private donations, donations, grants, fees, money taken by the Legislature.
Projects planned
Energy Capital Group, LLC (ECG) is developing ECG Utah Solar 1, LLC, a 300 MW-AC solar power plant strategically used to utilize the existing 1754 hectare interstate transmission infrastructure leased from the Utah School of Trust and Institutional Trust SITLA) less than a mile from the Intermountain Power Project (IPP) in northern Delta, Utah.
The planned interconnection point of the project is the IPP switchyard which is the delivery point for Los Angeles, Anaheim, Riverside, Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank utilities. The switchyard connects to the Southern Transmission System (STS) line 500 HVDC (Path 27) which travel 488 miles directly to the switchyard in Adelanto, California. LADWP is a California Balancing Authority and operates a switchyard that makes this project as if it were in California land for the State Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).
Project Oval of the Utah Olympic Sun
Utah Olympic Oval plans to install more than 3,000 solar panels above the parking lot that will generate some of the power required to operate the facility. The current project estimate predicts the addition of solar panels to save the $ 100,000 facility from its $ 750,000 annual electricity cost.
At a cost of $ 1.4 million, the Utah Olympic Oval Solar Project is the largest solar project to date from the Utah State Construction and Management Division and is expected to pay for itself in five years and ultimately save $ 3.7 million over 20 years of life.
SunSmart solar power plant
SunSmart is a project in St. Petersburg. George to provide an opportunity for residents to take advantage of the community's solar energy. Buyers do not need to organize anything and no maintenance so make it a riskless investment. With this program, participants pay $ 2.95 more per month for each 100 kWh block of power, an increase in cost from $ 0.0671/kWh to $ 0.966/kWh. These payments help to cover the cost of developing renewable energy sources, which are usually larger than traditional carbon-based resources. Revenues from this program will enable further development and research for other renewable sources
Red Hills Renewable Energy Park
Scatec Solar builds the largest photovoltaic project in Utah, completed in 2015. The project utilizes abundant sunshine, cools higher elevations and private land close to the Rocky Mountain groundhouse. Google, Scatec Solar ASA, and Prudential Capital are investors in this project. The building will take place in two stages, with completion in December 2015. The total cost is estimated at $ 500 million. Construction is anticipated to create 120 to 200 jobs appropriately, of which 80% will be local. The 632 acre solar garden will produce 104.7 megawatts (DC), 80 megawatts (AC), electricity. The 340,784 modules are expected to generate 210 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year. In addition, the project involves plans to build a visitor center to educate the public about solar energy production and provide an in-depth explanation of photovoltaic cells.
Public opinion
The majority of Utah people support large-scale solar power development in the desert, according to Gallup's 2013 study. "Americans want more emphasis on Solar, Wind, Natural Gas". (This reference does not mention Utah and appears to be a national poll)
According to the same study, 76% of Americans think that the United States should put more emphasis on domestic solar energy production. While the views vary regionally about the type of domestic energy that should be prioritized, solar power is the most important in every region.
Republican vs. Democrats
In the study, the republicans agree that natural gas should be the most pressing new domestic energy, but Democrats think solar power should be like that. (78% vs. 87%). Republicans are also much more supportive than coal Democrats (51% vs. 21%).
See also
- Wind power in Utah
References
External links
- Policies and Incentives
- The Utah Solar Energy Association
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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