SCE Orders 200 MW of SunPower Panels | Renewable Energy News Article

California, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com] Southern California Edison (SCE) and SunPower Corp. have reached a deal for SunPower to provide 200 megawatts (MW) of solar panels to the utility, which plans to use them to cover 80% of the capacity needed for its solar photovoltaic installation program.

SCE is purchasing the SunPower T5 Solar Roof Tile product, which integrates into a single unit a solar panel, frame and roof mounting system.

During the next five years, SCE plans to install, own and operate 250 MW of solar generating capacity. Most of the panel will be installed on otherwise unused warehouse rooftops. Each installation will fall in the one- to two-million-watt range and will be connected directly to neighborhood distribution circuits.

“The anticipated benefits of this agreement with SunPower include panel costs that will allow us to meet our commitment to increasing our customers’ supply of renewable energy while reducing the cost of installed solar photovoltaic power in California,” said John Fielder SCE's president.

On January 21, 2010, the California Public Utilities Commission approved SCE's plans for a second set of solar installations that will double the size of this program.

Regulators previously directed SCE to conduct a competitive solicitation offering long-term power contracts to independent solar power providers willing to install an additional 250 MW of photovoltaic generation. SCE hopes to launch the solicitation later this month. Eventually, the two installation tracks will add a total of 500 MW to SCE's portfolio.