Investing in Solar Saves Money Lost during Droughts

The nexus between record water savings and a booming solar energy market in the Metropolitan Water District is clearly in the crosshairs of the largest distributor of treated drinking water in the United States.

With conservation cutting into demand, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California used nearly 16 acres of land originally set aside for additional water production for a solar farm at its F.E. Weymouth Water Treatment Plant in La Verne.

The $10.5 million solar installation produces 3 megawatts of electricity at capacity, or enough to supply one-half of the treatment plant’s power needs.

MWD General Manager Jeff Kightlinger flipped the switch on the renewable energy project, marking the ceremonial opening of the solar installation situated in two fields adjacent to the plant’s cleaned-water reservoir and only yards away from tract homes.

The nexus between record water savings and a booming solar energy market is clearly in the crosshairs of the largest distributor of treated drinking water in the United States. Less water from declining snowpack and extended droughts impacted by global warming, combined with rapid lawn-removal by water-conscious Angelenos translate into less water sales to its 26 cities and water districts from Los Angeles to San Diego.

MWD is entering the solar market in part to cut energy costs against lost sales revenues and to “be a part of the climate solution,” as Kightlinger said in his prepared remarks.

“Because we got some good rebates and the timing was good, it made sense to do it,” he said. The agency received $1 million in rebates from the California Solar Initiative Program, said Debra C. Man, MWD chief operating officer.

The project will begin to pay for itself in about 10 years, Man said. Each year, the plant’s electric bill will be reduced by about $1 million, said Bob Muir, MWD spokesman.

In addition to saving money, MWD will cut out 1,900 tons of carbon dioxide each year, or about the equivalent of emissions from burning 2.1 million pounds of coal. California is required to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to 1990 levels in the next four years in an effort to curb global climate change.

Source: San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Media

Taxonomy

• Water
• Solar Energy
• Solar Power