Idaho is bringing solar online

[begreen]

The first of several facilities has come online. By the end of this year they plan to have 240MW of solar capacity.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/article91855892.html

 

[iamlucky13]

The use of tracking panels is interesting. Discussion I'd heard elsewhere has been that panels have gotten so cheap that trackers are no longer worth it.

I wonder if they chose them in order to minimize per kWh cost (which suggests they've brought down the cost of tracking mounts), or to maximize the wholesale price of the electricity - more consistent production throughout the day is more valuable to utilities.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Idaho , not exactly the sunshine state. If its feasible here should be feasible most anywhere.

 

[iamlucky13]

There are parts of Idaho that get significantly more than the average, and almost twice as much annual sunlight as just a couple hours drive west across the Cascades in Washington. Even in the winter they often get strings of cold, but clear days, and this is when the price of electricity peaks in the region, but to help avoid buying electricity on the expensive spot market at those times, any solar needs to stretch its production as far into the morning and evening as possible.
http://www.nrel.gov/gis/images/eere_pv/national_photovoltaic_2012-01.jpg

As I suggested above, I suspect Idaho Power is seeking to build high value electricity sources, rather than low cost. That's also consistent with their stated plan to build out 240 MW, then stop, as the highest cost portions of a utility's demand are only a small part of their overall usage. It's less obvious in Idaho than in Southern California, but I could envision a limited program of it working.

To add to that, I don't know what mandates Idaho Power might be under, but there is a fair amount of coal power generated in the area they might be under obligation to offset, there is the federal tax credit, and Idaho power apparently has a green energy credit program where they allow customers to "buy" solar and wind power (really buying bragging rights to the energy, which theoretically funds the installation of more of the same).