The first phase of a 1 megawatt solar project has been completed at the University of Arizona’s Tech Park Solar Zone. Phase one occupies 165 acres of land. It will produce renewable energy for Tucson Electric Power (TEP) using Cogenra solar panels. The facility is owned and operated by Washington Gas Energy Systems under a 20-year power purchase agreement with TEP.
When completed the installation will produce an annual total of 1,986 MWh of solar energy. The project will help TEP to meet or exceed the mandates of Arizona’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES). Under Arizona’s RES electric utilities must increase their use of renewable energy each year until it accounts for a minimum of 15 percent of their total power production by 2025.
University of Arizona’s Tech Park Solar Zone is a multi-technology testing, evaluation and demonstration site. It is one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world.
