New solar energy projects to take root in Utah

SunEdison will be developing three new utility-scale project in southern Utah

Three utility-scale solar projects will be taking form in southern Utah. These projects will be developed by SunEdison and will boast of a combined energy capacity of 210 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power approximately 36,000 homes in the state. SunEdison currently has 570 megawatts of solar energy projects in development, with another 306 megawatts of wind energy projects being developed in the state. Utah has shown strong interest in renewable energy and has been providing support from promising energy projects.

210 MW of new capacity may be a major boon for the state

The 210 MW of new capacity being developed by SunEdison will represent a significant surge in the state’s solar energy capacity. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, Utah currently has 18 MW of solar energy capacity active. This is somewhat lower than the national average, placing Utah behind others when it comes to solar capacity. When the new solar energy projects reach completion, Utah will be ranked higher in terms of total installed capacity.

Utah may have 826 GW of solar energy potential

The Utah government believes that the state has some 826 gigawatts of utility-scale solar energy potential. Approximately 1 gigawatt would provide enough electricity to power 180,000 homes throughout the state, with 100 gigawatts being enough to power 1.8 million homes. Utah boasts of a population of 2.9 million people, many of whom live in apartment complexes or their own homes. There may not be a need to tap into all of Utah’s solar energy potential in order to meet the state’s energy needs.

Wind energy is gaining momentum in Utah

Wind power is also gaining some traction in the state, which boasts of a speculative potential of 9,000 megawatts. Wind and solar complement one another quite well and could become the state’s favored forms of energy in the future. The combination of both solar and wind energy could make Utah completely sustainable, in terms of electrical power, at some point in the coming years.