Photovoltaic news and pv jobs

2011: PG&E receives 185 MW in new PV power

One of the largest electric utilities in the U.S., Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), has announced that 185-megawatt (MW) worth of new photovoltaic projects came online in 2011. The capacity was spread across eight project sites.

PG&E signed agreements for the supply of a further 200 MW of photovoltaic electricity in 2011. image: Flickr/Monica'sdad.

In line with its requirement to source 33 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2020, PG&E aggressively expanded the amount of photovoltaic electricity it received and then delivered to customers in 2011. New photovoltaic-generated capacity far outpaced other renewable sources such as wind, with only 37 MW of new wind capacity coming online last year.

Additionally to the 185 MW of new photovoltaic capacity, agreements for a further 200 MW were signed. This power will come online in the coming years.

Of the eight project sites that delivered new clean power to PG&E in 2011, independent developers, built five of them, worth 135 MW. Projects at three further sites, worth 50 MW, were developed by PG&E.

In a statement announcing the figures, PG&E said that it estimates that 19 percent of its electricity will be generated by renewable sources in 2011, excluding large hydro. That figure is expected to reach 20 percent in 2012.