By CEN Staff

PUEBLO - Colorado State University-Pueblo (CSU), BP Solar and Black Hills Energy yesterday joined Gov. Bill Ritter and other dignitaries to dedicate a new solar power system that will provide more than 10 percent
of CSU-Pueblo’s future power needs.

The 1.2-megawatt solar power system, one of the largest at an educational institution in the country, will help the university control utility costs as prices and usage increase over time. The solar array covers 4.3 acres with more than 6,800 photovoltaic panels, and is capable of generating approximately 1,800 megawatt hours of electricity per year.

“This project is an excellent example of how the New Energy Economy leverages private and public partnerships in developing clean energy projects. Most importantly, it will help the university control its long-term energy costs and direct those funds back into the classroom,” said Gov. Ritter.

“We view this as an extension of the commitment the University and the CSU System have made to renewable and sustainable energy,” said CSU-Pueblo President Joseph Garcia. “This project serves as a strong and very visible statement about the university’s support for sustainable energy resources.”

BP Solar installed and will operate and maintain the system, selling the zero-carbon electricity to the university. Project funding was provided by BP Solar and supplemented by Black Hills Energy, CSU-Pueblo’s local electric utility company, as part of its solar rebate program. Black Hills Energy will also purchase from BP Solar the renewable energy credits created by the project. The system was constructed on the east side of the Pueblo campus near the university’s physical plant complex and softball fields.

“We are proud to be able to bring a large-scale solar solution
to CSU-Pueblo, and in a way that avoids their need for upfront
investment,” said Reyad Fezzani, CEO of BP Solar. “This work is
a great example of our commitment to grow solar energy in the U.S.
market, and BP continues working closely with customers in
Colorado to help them gain access to clean energy sources,
including natural gas, wind and solar.”

“Black Hills Energy is committed to renewable energy for the
state of Colorado,” said Gary Stone, Black Hills Energy vice
president for Colorado electric operations. “The Colorado State
University-Pueblo solar project further confirms our dedication
to energy conservation for our customers and communities in
Colorado.”

The university’s new solar system supports Governor Ritter’s New
Energy Economy, making Colorado a hub for solar energy
manufacturing, research and development, and installations. The
facility also supports Black Hills Energy’s electric utility,
which serves customers in southeast Colorado, meet its
requirements under the state’s renewable energy standard. That
standard requires that 5 percent of its electricity sales be
generated from renewable sources.

The university thanked the firms involved in the development of
the solar power system, including Smart Growth Advocates, a
Pueblo-based non-profit firm responsible for bringing together
the university, BP Solar and Black Hills Energy.