BIG PV FOR AUSTIN

FRV Contracts with RES Americas to Build Landmark Project for Austin Energy; Construction Begins on Webberville Solar, One of the Largest Solar PV Systems in the U.S
April 26, 2011 (Fotowatio Renewable Ventures)

"Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV)…[has] closed financing and begun construction on the 30 megawatt (MW) Webberville Solar project, one of the largest solar PV systems in the U.S…

"The project, which will be located just outside Austin, Texas, is scheduled to be operational by year-end. Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES Americas), headquartered in Colorado with an Austin office of 20 employees, has been selected to construct the project and provide operations and maintenance services for the power plant for five years. Once operational, the solar energy from the plant will provide electricity under a long-term power purchase agreement with Austin Energy for 25 years…"

This keeps Austin on track (click to enlarge)

"FRV has partnered with Bayerische Landesbank (BayernLB), which has fully underwritten the construction debt for the project. With this team now in place, the construction of the Webberville Solar project — sited on Austin Energy-owned land in Travis County, approximately 15 miles east of Austin in Webberville, TX — is fully under way…

"…[T]o maximize the solar energy output at the site, the solar plant will be constructed by mounting modules on a flat, single-axis tracking system. The project will deploy crystalline 270W photovoltaic modules that FRV procured directly from Trina Solar. The Webberville Solar project will provide enough clean energy to power 5,000 homes, while avoiding the emission of approximately 30,000 tons of CO2 per year…"