Photo Credit: TAF.org

Aside from the fact that they’re both fairly New, not much springs to mind. I’d give you three guesses, but you’ll never guess, so I’m just going to come out and tell you – they both have communities that are going solar and have major projects in the works right now.

Between now and 2012, Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) plans to purchase and resell Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) in their service area to encourage the growth of solar energy in the state. In fact, they are banking on developing the capacity to generate about 42 megawatts of solar power over the next three years, which is enough to completely power approximately 32,000 homes.

JCP&L is prepared to sell their acquired SRECs by auction to other energy suppliers in the state for 10- to 15-year terms.

In Colfax County, New Mexico, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association has contracted with First Solar Inc. to install an array of a half million photovoltaic solar panels on 250 acres of property near the towns of Cimmaron and Springer, NM. The project installation is set to begin in April 2010 and continue on throughout the rest of the year.

When completed the New Mexican project will provide enough solar power (about 30 megawatts) to power 9,000 homes in the area. The solar power plant initiative has been named the Cimmaron I Solar Project and is the largest photovoltaic project to be commenced by an electric cooperative.

Photo Credit: Mountain/\Ash

With these two states gaining accolades for their forward-thinking actions in welcoming and encouraging solar power by local electricity suppliers, it’s hopeful that the trend will sweep the nation. While these two projects are indeed astounding in size, they represent such a small area of our nation’s total volume. Perhaps if “we the people” can make a concerted effort to bring these projects to the attention of our political and electrical representatives we can persuade them to follow suit.

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Posted on April 22nd in Solar News by Jennifer.