CARY, North Carolina -- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) met today with employees of Southern Energy Management, a home-grown sustainable energy company, and toured the firm’s signature project -- one of the largest solar array energy systems in the Southeast.
“This is a company whose mission is to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to climate change and to build a sustainable, triple-bottom-line that values people, the planet and profit,” Salazar said during his visit. “Its employees have installed more than 11,000 solar panels, producing about 2.8 million kilowatt hours of clean energy. Their work in 2008 offset more than 74 million pounds of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of planting 5.7 million trees. These folks believe they can help change the world for the better and we couldn’t agree more.”
"The development of clean, renewable energy is crucial not only for reducing our carbon footprint but for making the United States a leader in the clean energy race," said Secretary Steven Chu. "By moving to clean sources of energy, we can create jobs and ensure America's competitiveness, while reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Projects like the one we saw today are vital for the future of both our country and our planet."
"Solar power produced by SAS here in Cary is a great example of the emerging energy economy, and a model for forward-thinking policies driving innovation in our state,” Sen. Hagan said. “North Carolina is well-positioned to take advantage of opportunities in this new economy. I am committed to investing in sustainable, American-made energy that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create new manufacturing jobs in North Carolina and throughout the nation."
The project the group toured is at the SAS Headquarters in Cary, North Carolina, where Southern Energy Management was the primary contractor for SunPower on two 1-megawatt solar arrays. The project includes a 24-collector solar water heating system and a 1-megawatt photovoltaic (PV) system of 5,040 solar panels on five acres of land.
Salazar called the firm one of hundreds of cutting-edge renewable energy companies sprouting up around the country in a growing clean energy sector that will generate millions of jobs, restore America’s role as a global leader in the clean energy industry, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and cut carbon pollution.
Salazar noted that the Interior Department is investing $41 million through the President's economic recovery plan to spur a rapid and responsible move to large-scale production of renewable energy on public lands. Interior oversees 20 percent of the nation’s landmass and 1.7 billion offshore acres, managing resources containing an estimated 2,900 gigawatts of solar energy potential in the Southwest; 206 gigawatts of wind energy potential on public lands in the West; and 1,000 gigawatts of wind energy potential in waters off the Atlantic coast.
In a major initiative, Interior is evaluating 24 Solar Energy Study Areas for environmentally appropriate expedited solar energy development. Four are in southern Colorado. Together, these areas could generate nearly 100,000 megawatts of solar electricity, enough to power more than 29 million American homes. More than 6,000 megawatts of new capacity – mostly in California, Arizona, and New Mexico – could be ready by 2010. That is enough to power 1.8 million homes.
In addition, the Department has issued rules of the road for commercial offshore wind energy development; cut red tape for offshore wind permitting and is working on a major initiative for locating renewable energy transmission corridors on public lands.