St. George taps into sun's energy

ST. GEORGE — Installing a $50,000 solar power system on the roof of the new St. George Water and Energy Administration building means this sunny city will soon add another level of renewable energy to its portfolio.

"Using solar energy to provide a portion of the electrical needs for the building is good for the environment," said Phillip Solomon, St. George's energy-services director.

Tapping into the sun's energy makes a lot of sense if you live in Utah's Dixie, which boasts an average of 300 days of toasty sunshine each year, said Ken Gardner of Gardner Engineering, which specializes in alternative energy sources.

"The southwest corner of Utah is one of the best places in the United States for solar energy because of the number of sunlight hours," said Gardner, whose firm was installing the solar panels on the city building this past week under overcast skies. "We'll even get some (power) generation on a cloudy day."

Each panel is divided into grids of solar cells that absorb photons emitted by the sun, which in turn excite electrons that produce energy. Each of the solar cells can produce 175 watts, for a total power output of 5 kilowatts, and the only attention the panels need is an occasional angle adjustment to take advantage of the sun's path, Gardner said.

The system is designed for future expansion up to a total of 10 kilowatts and can withstand wind gusts of up to 90 miles per hour. The new building is projected to consume up to 45 kilowatts of energy during its peak hours, which means the solar energy would provide a small percentage of its overall energy needs.

"It's going to supplement what the building uses," said St. George conservation coordinator Rene Fleming. "But it also adds to the amount of renewable energy in our portfolio, and that's important."

Software will track the system's energy generation, as well as the amount of emissions the city is not expending because of the renewable power source. The public will be able to check out the system by looking at real-time data displayed on a monitor set up in the building's lobby, said Fleming.

"I personally believe renewable energy is an important obligation to help lessen the negative impact we have on the environment," said Fleming. "St. George made a commitment to renewable energy in 2005, and we've been adding to our portfolio since then."

St. George recently introduced a Clean Green Power Program, which is designed to provide renewable energy to its customers. The city's power investment mix also includes two megawatts provided by the Pleasant Valley Wind Project and four megawatts from the Jordanelle hydro facility.

Residents who sign up for the new power program will actually pay $2.95 more each month for each 100-kilowatt block of "green power" they use. According to a brochure on the Clean Green Power Program, revenues from the new program will support renewable energy projects.

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E-mail: nperkins@desnews.com