Gov. Gibbons Announces Plans To Increase Use of Solar Energy By State of Nevada
CARSON CITY – Gov. Jim Gibbons today announced plans to dramatically increase the use of solar power by the State of Nevada.
Working through the State Energy Office, a request for proposals (RFP) is being put together to develop solar energy systems at multiple state agency sites. The idea is to place solar energy panels on state property, particularly on large state parking lots. Power from these solar energy panels would be used to provide low-cost energy to adjacent and nearby state buildings, resulting in significant savings to taxpayers.
Design of the solar arrays would be structured so visitors and state employees could park underneath the solar panels.
“This is a giant step toward my goal of making Nevada a leader in solar energy development� Gibbons said. “We will lead by example and make use of clean solar power for state buildings.�
Gibbons said the project will save taxpayers millions of dollars in utility costs as well.
The RFP will also include the use of vacant state land for solar energy development, but any solar development on vacant land would require the installation of removable solar energy panels to allow for future development of state buildings or other facilities.
A solar project now under construction at the National Guard facility in Carson City is an example of the type of project to be included in the RFP.
Dan Burns, communications director for Gibbons, said companies will have to pay the construction costs of the solar projects up front. They will recoup their investment over time as the state pays for the use of the solar power with funds now used to pay utility costs.
The state will benefit by paying less than what is now budgeted for those utility costs, he said.
“There are investors interested in doing these projects,� Burns said. “The governor fully expects a great deal of interest from investors in our RFP.�
Some of the sites under consideration for solar projects include the parking lot of the Nevada State Transportation Department in the capital, the parking lots of several Department of Motor Vehicles offices in Southern Nevada and the parking lot of the Grant Sawyer State Office Building in Las Vegas.
Other state properties will also be considered. The project should be ready to present to potential bidders by the end of June.
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