This story has been updated 

 

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A kickoff for a new photovoltaic project aimed at reducing energy use for Hidden Valley Lake's reclamation plant will take place Monday afternoon.

The Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District will host a groundbreaking ceremony for its Photovoltaic Sustainability Energy Project at 2:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, at the water reclamation plant, located at 18896 Grange Road, Middletown.

The community is invited to attend.

The solar project will produce enough energy to operate the water reclamation plant sustaining energy costs for the years to come, the district reported.

Many of the constituents who have supported the project and assisted the district in getting it off the ground will be at the ceremony.

 

According to the HVL community Services District, the District has secured a $1.1 million grant and a $650,000 low interest loan funded by the United States Department of Agriculture rural Utility Service. District staff will provide in-kind services for construction inspections to offset the $650,000 that the District is required to contribute.

 

According to the HVL website locate at http://www.hiddenvalleylakecsd.com/projects.htm the project should be operational by the end of the year. The announcement from that HVL page is below.

 

Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District has formally awarded the contract for the photovoltaic project at its Grange Road treatment facility to Real Goods Solar, San Rafael, CA. This innovative project is supported by the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utility Services and will be funded with a combination grant/loan package.

To meet power demands at the District's Water Reclamation Plant, Real Goods will be installing 1,176 Sharp 240W solar panels, covering 35,000 square feet, that are expected to produce 420,000 kWh per year. The array will produce enough power to run approximately 75 normal houses.

 USDA has expressed an interest in using the solar project as a demonstration project for other water districts throughout the United States. The green on green project will fix the energy prices for treating waste water at the District for the next three decades.

The solar project will support the local economy; Real Goods Solar has committed to use Lake County sub contractors and other local labor whenever possible throughout the project. The timeline presented is aggressive and the District expects to have the project online by the end of 2011.

Included with the construction cost is a monitoring system that will allow customers to view power production and demand online through the District's website, www.hiddenvalleylakecsd.com. The District is gearing up for field trips from local schools where students can view and understand the expanse of silicone used to harvest the sun's power. We are excited to see the many years worth of effort from District staff and engineers coming together to bring the solar project into fruition.

 

 

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