Aerojet and SMUD Announce Solar Field Expansion

Rancho Cordova will soon become the site the largest solar installation in California.

Aerojet and the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District (SMUD) announced Nov. 10 with Solar Power, Inc. that they will be expanding a newly constructed solar field on Aerojet’s site to provide a total of six megawatts of energy. The project is expected to be completed in April 2010 and will be connected to SMUD’s power grid upon completion.

The partners made the announcement at a private ribbon cutting ceremony held for the completion of the current 3.6 megawatt solar system. When completed, the array will span more than 40 acres of Aerojet’s property and utilize nearly 30,000 205-watt photovoltaic modules. The modules will be placed on 22 tracking systems that will follow the sun’s course throughout the day, maximizing the amount of electricity the modules can produce.

Scott Neish, president of Aerojet, said the project is a great example of the company’s commitment to its community. “For 60 years, energy management has been at the root of our aerospace operations,” Neish said in a statement, ”and our venture into broader energy management programs demonstrates the real commitment Aerojet is making toward operating in a more sustainable fashion and reducing our company’s carbon footprint.”

A statement released by Aerojet said the solar field will offset the carbon emissions of 11,825,814 automobile miles in its first year of use alone, and its air-cleaning benefits will be equal to planting 1,396,423 trees.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said the solar array is a step in the right direction toward fulfilling his executive order to acquire 33 percent of energy used from renewable sources by 2020. “The addition of this large-scale solar project is further evidence that reliable, renewable and pollution-free technology is here to stay,” he said. ”This project is great news for California because it will help us meet our ambitious renewable energy and environmental goals, lead to more homes and businesses powered by sunshine and create new jobs in the clean-tech industry.”

Similar Posts:

• June 3, 2010 – Aerojet and SMUD Announce Completion of 6 Megawatt Solar Field
• July 26, 2010 – Aerojet Wins SMUD Award For Responsible Energy Stewardship
• June 15, 2010 – Anatolia Chosen as Test Site for Energy Storage Device
• June 17, 2010 – Tips for Keeping Your Home Cool During the Summer Months

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Posted by Anne Lowe on Nov 11 2009. Filed under Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.