(Source: El Paso Times)
By El Paso Times, Texas
Sept. 02--It's not happening quickly, but more and more El Pasoans are taking advantage of this area's most abundant natural resource -- sunlight, solar energy that can be converted into electricity.
One recent example is a solar panel system that El Paso Electric is paying to have installed at El Paso Community College's Valle Verde Campus. Not only will it supply part of the power to the college's Advanced Technology Center, but the equipment also will give students hands-on experience with such installations.
A 2-kilowatt system will help power the building and a 16-kilowatt setup will feed power back into EPE's system.
In the past couple of years, EPE has installed five small solar-power projects in El Paso. And the utility, along with the city, is giving rebates when individuals or businesses install solar power systems.
Also, a 20-megawatt solar power plant in Santa Teresa is now generating electricity for EPE. Under the right conditions, it can supply enough electricity to take care of 6,600 homes.
New Mexico mandates that a certain portion of the electricity generated by EPE must come from solar, geothermal or wind sources.
Given the amount of sunshine that bathes El Paso during the year, it's a wonder that there aren't more solar installations, residential and commercial, in El Paso.
That's why it's good to see these new projects and others coming on line. Solar is definitely a huge part of El Paso's energy future, and we should be leading the pack in developing
solar energy.
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