* PSE&G to install, own and operate 80 MW of solar by 2013
* $515 million investment will double New Jersey’s solar capacity
* Projects will include largest pole-attached solar installation in the world
* NJ company to supply 200,000 solar units and green jobs
* Potential sites for solar gardens and rooftop installations identified
Wednesday July 29, 2009, 1:02 pm EDT
NEWARK, N.J., July 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — PSE&G today received approval from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to invest $515 million in 80 megawatts of solar projects, doubling the state’s solar capacity and creating green jobs. Under an agreement reached in its Solar 4 All filing, the utility expects to complete the installations by the end of 2013.
The program has two segments, each 40 megawatts in size. The first segment consists of installing a solar unit (small distributed solar system of approximately 200 watts) on 200,000 utility poles in PSE&G’s service territory, which includes the state’s six largest cities and roughly 300 rural and suburban communities. It will be the largest pole-attached solar installation in the world. The solar units will be connected directly into PSE&G’s electric distribution system and the power will be sold into the PJM wholesale grid.
The second segment will focus on centralized solar, with PSE&G developing solar gardens and roof-top installations on facilities it owns and also at third-party sites.
“Our program will effectively double the size of New Jersey’s installed solar capacity,” said Ralph LaRossa, president and COO of PSE&G. “That is more solar capacity than currently exists in any state other than California. We have worked with New Jersey regulators and the solar community to develop a program that brings the benefits of solar to all of our customers.”
PSE&G also announced today that it awarded the contract for the supply of the 200,000 pole-attached units to New Jersey-based Petra Solar. With headquarters in South Plainfield, Petra Solar has committed to make the solar units in New Jersey and expects to hire more than 100 employees to meet the needs of the contract.
Shihab Kuran, President and CEO of Petra Solar said, “We at Petra Solar are very pleased to enter a contract with PSE&G to provide 200,000 smart solar units for installation on utility and lighting poles throughout the state. Our pole-mounted, grid-connected system delivers true technological innovation. The interaction of solar generation and smart grid technology will enable PSE&G to enhance the reliability of its delivery of electricity to customers. My colleagues at Petra Solar and I are committed to creating green jobs and providing innovative products that address global energy and climate change challenges.”
“It is great to see the promise of green jobs becoming a reality – especially in these rough economic times,” said LaRossa. “PSE&G programs approved by the BPU to promote energy efficiency, develop renewables and accelerate infrastructure investments are putting hundreds of New Jersey residents to work at a time when it is most needed.”
The centralized solar segment of Solar 4 All, which involves projects of 500 kilowatts or more, will consist of several sub-segments. The largest will be the development of 25 megawatts of solar gardens or rooftop installations at PSE&G-owned sites.
PSE&G is evaluating five specific sites for development, though site selection will depend on permitting and site suitability.
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Energy co PSEG to develop 30 MW in solar projects
Wed Sep 23, 2009 5:41pm EDT
* PSEG solar unit to work with juwi solar Inc on projects
* Three U.S. projects total almost 30 megawatts
* Represents about $100-million investment
LOS ANGELES, Sept 23 (Reuters) – Energy company Public Service Enterprise Group (PEG) said its solar unit will develop nearly 30 megawatts of solar power projects with juwi solar Inc, representing an investment of about $100 million.
The three U.S. projects are located in Florida, Ohio and New Jersey and will use First Solar Inc’s (FSLR) thin-film panels. They are expected to be finished in 2010.
Under the deal, juwi solar will construct and maintain all the projects while PSEG Solar Source will own them.
Separately, PSEG is developing a 350 MW wind project off the coast of New Jersey.
Based in Boulder, Colorado, juwi solar is a unit of Germany’s juwi Holding AG.