Watch VideoFt. Carson solar project largest in Army
Story By: Mark Hanrahan
Source: KOAA
Sitting in the place of an old landfill, more than 27,000 solar panels face the Colorado sunshine. Vincent Guthrie, Fort Carson's utilities program manager, says, "We're the largest in the Army." The solar array, positioned on a 12 acre site on Fort Carson, can produce two megawatts of electricity; enough to power hundreds of homes. Guthrie says, "Approximately 2.3 percent of Fort Carson's total load, the equivalent of 540 homes."
The site grabbed the attention of Colorado Governor Bill Ritter who recently gave the post the "Excellence in Renewable Energy Award." The award is given to individuals and institutions that are advancing renewable energy in Colorado. Governor Bill Ritter says, "We wanted to acknowlege the work at Fort Carson."
The Mountain Post held a press conference Monday to commemorate the solar project. Major General Mark Graham says, "I think what you see behind me and to your left is vision." The project is part of Fort Carson's plan to use 100 percent renewable energy by the year 2027. It also follows the state's push to become more energy independent. Governor Ritter says, "To have a United States military institution like Fort Carson say, we're going to be the first and we're going to be the biggest is heartening to me as the governor of this fine state of Colorado."
The project is privately owned and put together by several companies including: 3 Phases Energy Services, Sun Technics, Western Area Power Administration, Xcel Energy and Morgan Stanley. Fort Carson will purchase the electricty the solar project generates. Guthrie says, "This gives us a hedge agaist the higher fossil fuel electric rates."
The project will offset an estimated 1.3 million tons of greenhouse gasses every year.
