Dalton Utilities soon will use part of its sewage treatment site to generate power from the sun.
United Renewable Energy, an Alpharetta, Ga.-based solar energy development company, has begun erecting the first phase of a solar farm on nearly six acres at Dalton’s sewage plant along Looper Bridge Road.
“It’s a perfect application for this field, which might not otherwise be developed any time soon,” said William Silva, president of United Renewable Energy.
Georgia Power Co. will fund and own the $5 million solar generating station. Dalton Utilities will lease the land to Georgia Power and has agreed to buy all the power generated by the bank of solar panels under a 25-year agreement.
“Upon completion of this project, Dalton Utilities and its corporate customers will be able to advertise the fact that we are utilizing ‘green’ energy, which has become increasingly important in today’s market,” Dalton Utilities President Don Cope said.
The solar plant eventually will generate 1 megawatt of electricity, or enough power for about 400 homes. The initial 350-kilowatt phase of the project is scheduled to begin generating power by this spring, and the entire project is due to be in operation by 2014.
Dalton Utilities won’t have to put any money in the project, but the project will provide energy credits for Dalton Utilities and help meet any future renewable standards, Cope said.
United Renewable Energy also helped install three solar power installations for Dalton-based U.S. Floors, which gets about 500 kilowatts of electricity from solar power, the most of any Georgia manufacturer.