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Southern Company & Ted Turner Acquire First Solar Project

March 15, 2010 | 8 Comments

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Atlanta, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com] Southern Company and Turner Renewable Energy founder Ted Turner on Monday announced that the companies have acquired and will bring online one of the nation's largest solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants. The 30-megawatt (MW) project, is the first to result from the partnership forged by Southern Company and Turner Renewable Energy in January.

Construction of the project will begin this month with completion and commercial operation expected by year end 2010.

The project was acquired from and will be built First Solar Inc. The Southern Turner Cimarron I Solar Project is adjacent to Turner's Vermejo Park Ranch in northern New Mexico. First Solar is the contractor for both engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and operation and maintenance for the facility, Southern Company said.

"It is great that large-scale solar photovoltaic power generation is becoming a reality in the United States," Turner said. "Southern Turner Renewable Energy is excited to develop and own this project and we look forward to generating clean renewable energy in New Mexico."

Construction of the project will begin this month with completion and commercial operation expected by year end 2010. It will consist of approximately 500,000 2'x 4' photovoltaic modules constructed with First Solar's patented thin film semiconductor technology.

"The Cimarron I project is yet another example of First Solar's capability to realize utility-scale solar projects," said Rob Gillette, First Solar chief executive officer. "Combining the required technology, manufacturing, project development and EPC expertise enables First Solar to be a leader in sustainable energy development."

Electricity generated by the plant will serve a 25-year power purchase agreement with the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a not-for-profit wholesale power supplier to 44 electric cooperatives serving 1.4 million customers across Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.

This is not Turner's first deal with First Solar. In December 2007, First Solar acquired Turner Renewable Energy, LLC for a purchase price of approximately $34.3 million paid in a combination of common stock of First Solar, Inc. as well as cash.

In January, Turner and Southern company announced plans for a strategic alliance to pursue development of renewable energy projects in the United States. Initially, the two said that they would focus on developing and investing in large scale solar photovoltaic projects in the U.S. Southwest.

Turner is the largest individual landowner in North America with more than two million acres. The alliance will explore renewable projects both on Turner land as well as other suitable sites.

Solar Energy

8 Reader Comments

Comment
1 of 8

anco-blazev-168445

March 15, 2010

I sincerely doubt that Southern Company and / or Mr. Turner are well informed about the dangers CdTe modules present in large scale installations, operating 25-30 years under harsh desert conditions. I doubt that they know the truth about Cadmium--the 6th most dangerous toxic, carcinogenic heavy metal known to man--and that 8,000 lbs. of this toxic poison will be evenly spread over several hundred desert acres in this project alone.

And I doubt that they know the truth about thin films--CdTe and CdS included--behavior under prolonged exposure to the extreme heat and freeze of the desert. That these films, the film-substrate interphase and the laminate layers, will deteriorate and decompose with time. And that moisture and air penetrating the flimsily designed, frame-less modules, will create uncontrolled outgassing and other mechanical and chemical anomalies, which will eventually contaminate the air, soil and water in the area.

If they don't know all these facts, then I'd suggest that they take a close look at them BEFORE proceeding with this project. Failing to do so might be detrimental to the project, its neighbors and the US solar industry in general.

Since Southern Company and Mr. Turner are not specialists on the subject at hand, and since the CdTe specialists and manufacturers refuse to discuss it, we have notified BLM and other government and private institutions of these dangers. Trusting their objectivity and thoroughness, we hope that they will clarify and resolve them before allowing this and other such projects to proceed.

Comment
2 of 8

energyhawaii

March 16, 2010

I very rarely comment, but the person commenting on cadmium is simply an idiot. Saying that Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) is dangerous and carcinogenic due to cadmium being part of the compound is like saying that table salt is dangerous due to chloride being part of the sodium chloride (NaCl) compound. In fact, sodium AND chloride are pretty nasty. In FACT, Hydrogen and Ozone aren't the greatest by themselves either, but I'm sure the above person still drinks water! The above person either needs to go to a mental hospital or learn some chemistry or physics. Pure cadmium is NOT used in solar cells or solar materials. Cadmium sulfide and cadmium telluride are pretty much the only known real USES for cadmium - otherwise it stays out there in the environment. In FACT, I would rather have all of the available cadmium out there be in solar panels rather than floating around as a free heavy metal - this person should be GLAD that they're putting horribly bad stuff to good use

Comment
3 of 8

peter-flannery-51005

March 16, 2010

I think it's time for PV plant's in the Southwest on this scale. We must see what happen's to the panel's over time and environmental exposure. Flannery's Green Guide give's this project a five star rating.

Peter Flannery

Comment
4 of 8

jim-karas-82594

March 16, 2010

There is a recycle program in place at First Solar that deals with recovery of materials at the end of product life. Here's the link to anyone interested http://www.firstsolar.com/en/recycling.php

Comment
5 of 8

MyEnergyMan

March 16, 2010

Wow all the hoopla over cadmium.

A new form of electrical generation will outperform solar 10000 to 1.

Angular Force Generation will make the use of solar, wind, geothermal, the burning of coal or natural gas and hydroelectric to make electricity obsolete.

History in the making!

Electric Energy Store a NEW Energy provider has on the drawing board placing 1.8 mega watt Multi Angular Force Genrators that will power 1200 homes an equivelent of taking 120 million cars of the road.

15 of our 1.8 mega watt generators placed side by side will take up less than 5 acres and can be placed underground will make more energy then the Ted Turner project for less than 1/3 the cost and it will never destroy our environment with thousand of acres of solar panels or windwills.

Its a new technology and it is going to change the way we think about energy.

see the website here http://www.electric-energy-store.com

Comment
6 of 8

jszrom

March 17, 2010

MyEnergyMan,

The AFG is an interesting device.

A couple of points:

- Voltage is not power. To prove your device works, you must operate your device under load. That means resistance with both volts and amps shown.

- I couldn't help to notice the battery in the back on the floor providing the '3 Amps' needed for the pulling cord. To prove your devices produces more power than it consumes, I think you need to ditch the battery and have the device produce all the energy needed for this pulling motion.

- Also, during the welding it can be noted that the machine loses significant momentum. Again you need to show that the machine can operate continuously under load.

Good luck with your endeavors.

Comment
7 of 8

MyEnergyMan

March 30, 2010

It just a prototype, the production model will not be made with granger parts. It will provide 100% power at 100% of the time even under load.

It will also be gorilla sized to accommodate the power production needs.

Our product should be availible July this year.

Paul

Comment
8 of 8

anco-blazev-168445

June 26, 2010

energyhawaii, comparing free Cl and Cd is like comparing apples and rat poison. Or much worse! This tells me that you need to go back for one more semester of Chem 101. It might help you understand the difference in properties and behavior of these elements.

But the key point you are missing here is the danger of deployment of CdTe PV MEGA-FIELDS in the DESERT. But then again, how would you know about the deserts? Let alone what happens to any materials, and yes CdTe included, left in there for 30 years.

And so, it would be best that you stay away from topics that you know little or nothing about. And let the experts decide what Cadmium can or cannot do.

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