Feb 3 2011
Minneapolis-based, Xcel Energy has completed the installation of a 13-kW solar photovoltaic array system at P.R. Leyva Middle School in Carlsbad. This is the company’s fourth project in the New Mexico Community Solar program that started in 2009.
Xcel Energy deployed solar devices in four southeastern and eastern New Mexico communities to assist the public to know about the advantages of solar energy. Other projects have been developed in Roswell, Hobbs and Clovis.
Manager for Community and Economic Development at Xcel Energy, Ben Jaime, stated that the Leyva Middle School solar panels have been deployed beside the shop building in the courtyard of the school and are generating solar-powered electricity for the area’s power grid.
Xcel Energy is also offering solar power curriculum materials designed particularly for New Mexico schools. Both historical and current solar data will be obtainable to the schools and communities.
Xcel Energy is including solar energy to its energy offerings via the ‘Solar Rewards’ program, which inspires customers to deploy their own solar power system and then they get rewards by buying the green energy certificates produced by the deployments. The company has proposals to include a 50 MW of solar power to its New Mexico system by completing five new solar photovoltaic plants in Eddy and Lea counties by the end of 2011. SunEdison is developing the Eddy and Lea solar arrays and will trade the power output to Xcel Energy via a long-term power purchase deal.