Last Thursday Southern California Edison announced the nation's largest solar cell installation project on the rooftop of a distribution center in Fontana. Present at the launch were California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edison Chairman John Bryson, and California Public Utilities Commissioner Michael Peevey. The project will cover 65 million square feet of roofs of Southern California commercial buildings.

The installation, which will produce 250 megawatts of energy once complete, will eventually put power right into the neighborhoods through local transmission lines. The vast size of the project exponentially dwarfs the now second largest solar panel project in country by 236 megawatts. As a point of comparison Governor Schwarzenegger said the installation will be roughly the size of 1,100 football fields and can power about 162,000 homes. As the largest provider of renewable energy and an environmental innovator, the governor praised Edison's efforts, ambition and courage.

"These are the kinds of big ideas we need to meet California's long-term energy and climate change goals," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "I urge others to follow in their footsteps. If commercial buildings statewide partnered with utilities to put this solar technology on their rooftops, it would set off a huge wave of renewable energy growth."

In Fontana, Calif., Southern California Edison launched the largest solar project of its kind. The Rosemead-based utility will place solar panels on 65 million square feet of unused rooftops, enough to cover 1,100 football fields and power 162,000 homes. Left to right: California Public Utilities Commissioner Michael Peevey; SCE Chairman John Bryson; SCE President John Fielder; California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"This project will turn two square miles of unused commercial rooftops into advanced solar generating stations," said John E. Bryson, Edison International chairman and CEO. "We hope to have the first solar rooftops in service by August. The sunlight power will be available to meet our largest challenge - peak load demands on the hottest days."

SCE's renewable energy project was prompted by recent advances in solar technology that reduce the cost of installed photovoltaic generation. When combined with the size of SCE's investment, the resulting costs per unit are projected to be half that of common photovoltaic installations in California.

"The scale of this project is unprecedented," said Mike Peevey, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) president. "It clearly illustrates once again Edison's leadership position in the development of new renewable technology."

SCE asked the CPUC for approval to install the solar cell technology during the next five years. The request estimates the total project cost will be $875 million (in today's dollars).

The utility plans to begin installation work immediately on commercial roofs in Southern California's Inland Empire, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, the nation's fastest growing urban region. 

"These new solar stations, which we will be installing at a rate of one megawatt a week, will provide a new source of clean energy, directly in the fast-growing regions where we need it most," said Bryson.Solar cells on the rooftop of a warehouse in the Inland Empire. SCE sees numerous customer benefits from its new solar program, among them locating the new generation in areas of growing customer demand. And the clusters of solar modules SCE plans to install will be connected directly to the nearest neighborhood circuit, eliminating the need to build new transmission lines to bring the power to customers. Additionally, solar units produce the most power when customer usage is at its highest.

Solar cells on the rooftop of a warehouse in the Inland Empire.

SCE believes its commercial solar roofs program will boost several California environmental initiatives, especially the Million Solar Roofs program that provides incentives to encourage Californians to install solar projects by 2017. SCE's solar program supports the state's Global Warming Solutions Act requiring the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, as well as California's renewable portfolio standard requiring that 20 percent of the state's electricity be generated with renewable energy by 2010.

Installation for the first 2 megawatts will be complete in August and if approved by the California Public Utilities Commission in December, Edison will be able to continue the 5 year program.