NRG Energy Deploys 1,200 Megawatts of Solar Capacity to Capture Energy on Longest Day of the Year
June 20 2014 - 1:03PM
Business Wire
Summer days ahead expected to bolster the
962,000 megawatt hours already generated by NRG’s solar energy
facilities in 2014
Tomorrow, the northern hemisphere will reach summer solstice,
the longest day of the year. NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG) is ready to make
the most of it, with the capacity to generate more than 1,200
megawatts (MW) of solar power, enough electricity to support more
than one million homes. Since the beginning of the year, NRG’s
utility-scale solar facilities have collectively produced more than
957,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity from 12 major projects.
Given the timely start of summer, the power generated so far this
year could power 9.6 million ceiling fans, 1.4 million
refrigerators or 1.2 million pool pumps for the entire year.
NRG Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating
System (Photo: Business Wire)
“NRG is committed to transforming the future of energy and
expanding what is possible for consumers through the use of
renewable energy sources,” said Tom Doyle, president for NRG’s
solar and wind business unit. “The sun is our cleanest and most
abundant energy resource, and harnessing solar power is driving a
transformation to a clean energy economy. As people continue to
demand and embrace clean energy solutions and companies continue to
innovate further to provide them, we will start to see real
progress in our fight against climate change.”
NRG’s portfolio also includes interest in 125 distributed solar
systems for a variety of businesses and organizations that share
the in the vision of a clean energy future. These locations include
hotels, universities and hospitals, as well as several iconic
installations powering the stadiums of some of the country’s most
beloved professional football teams.
This year, NRG expanded its solar capacity by completing several
milestone projects, including:
- Ivanpah – Completed earlier this year,
Ivanpah is the largest solar thermal facility in the world and is
located near Ivanpah, Calif., in the Mojave Desert. On June 1, the
plant produced 3,300 megawatt hours (MWh) of energy – a record for
solar thermal production, all while having only used 6 percent of
its allotted 100 acrefeet of water this year. The Ivanpah Solar
Electric Generation System, comprised of three separate plants,
generates nearly 400 MW of electricity — enough to support a yearly
average of 140,000 homes and more than twice that number when
operating at maximum capacity during the peak hours of the day.
Ivanpah is now producing half of the total solar thermal power in
the state of California.
- Agua Caliente – The Agua Caliente Solar
Photovoltaic Facility that debuted in April is the largest, fully
operational solar photovoltaic (PV) project in the world at 290 MW.
Through an agreement with Pacific Gas & Electric, residents in
Southern California are benefitting from Agua Caliente. The
electricity generated at peak times is enough to serve more than
230,000 homes and offsets approximately 324,000 tons of carbon
dioxide annually, the equivalent of taking nearly 70,000 cars off
the road.
- Community Solar Initiatives – NRG
partnered with Boeing for engineering, procurement and construction
of the Community 1 Generating Facility in Brawley, Calif., a
first-of-its-kind, community solar program. Local residents can opt
to purchase energy from the facility through a community solar
program, which offers the energy at a competitive rate. The
Community 1 Generating Facility is a six-megawatt solar facility
capable of generating enough emission-free electricity to power
nearly 2,200 homes. Additionally, it will reduce emissions and
lower the demand on the Southern California electricity grid.NRG
also constructed a similar community solar project in Rutland,
Vermont, that went online in May. A 150-kilowatt array within the
city limits, the community serves 50 local residential and
commercial customers who signed up for the service and in turn
receive a credit on their electricity bill for the energy produced
by the solar panels.
- Global Initiatives – Earlier this year,
NRG broke ground on a 25 MW solar project on the Island of Guam.
The solar solution will offset the consumption of almost two
million barrels of residual fuel oil and diesel, minimizing Guam’s
reliance on imported fuel and the island’s carbon
footprint.Additionally, NRG is developing a renewables-driven
micro-grid for Necker Island, one of the British Virgin Islands,
that will include solar technologies to help the island reduce its
dependency on fossil fuels. At least 75 percent of the
renewable-based solution will be powered by solar, wind and energy
storage technologies.
- Professional Football Stadiums –
NRG is helping demonstrate to consumers the benefits of
sustainable, reliable power by showcasing innovative technologies,
such as solar panels, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and
energy-efficient LED lighting, at professional football stadiums
throughout the country. By the end of 2014, the company will have
installed sustainable energy solutions at six professional football
stadiums throughout the country, including stadiums in Houston,
Texas; Foxboro, Mass; East Rutherford, NJ; Washington, D.C.;
Philadelphia, PA and Santa Clara, CA.
About NRG Energy
NRG is leading a customer-driven change in the U.S. energy
industry by delivering cleaner and smarter energy choices, while
building on the strength of the nation’s largest and most diverse
competitive power portfolio. A Fortune 250 company, we create value
through reliable and efficient conventional generation while
driving innovation in solar and renewable power, electric vehicle
ecosystems, carbon capture technology and customer-centric energy
solutions. Our retail electricity providers serve almost 3 million
residential and commercial customers throughout the country. More
information is available at www.nrgenergy.com. Connect
with NRG Energy on Facebook and follow us on
Twitter @NRGEnergy and @NRGMedia.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:
http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140620005661/en/
NRG EnergyJeff Holland,
760-710-3828Jeff.Holland@NRGEnergy.com
NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024