Solar industry and media types gathered in the desert of Nevada today... but it wasn't for Burning Man this time.
No, today marked the formal commissioning of a 14 megawatt solar photovoltaic system at Nellis Air Force Base outside of Las Vegas, touted as North America’s largest solar photovoltaic installation (see Biggest U.S. solar PV install underway at Air Force base).
An Air Force F-18 streaks skywards in the background.
The array is supplying approximately 25 percent of the total power used at the base, home of the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center and some 12,000 fine men and women responsible for the Air Force's air combat training, tactics development and testing.
Covering 140 acres of land at the western edge of the Nellis base, the photovoltaic system is based on 72,000 solar panels using SunPower's Tracker technology.
The project is a joint venture of the U.S. Air Force, MMA Renewable Ventures, SunPower and the Nevada Power Company.
And, as solar installations go, it's pretty attractive. Matt Cheney, CEO of MMA, proudly told a recent investor conference, "this is artwork. You should sell photos of this. It’s brilliant!"
So if a few photos of the site aren't necessarily worth thousands of dollars for Cheney, or us, they're at least worth sharing with you.
In that spirit, here are some selected shots of the facility. Um, free.
Submitted by Dallas Kachan on December 17, 2007 - 1:07pm.
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