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Alabama Power expands solar power research
Alabama Power is expanding its solar power research in partnership with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). As part of the expansion, the company is installing solar panels on a limited number of power poles across its service area. The company is also installing panels at select Alabama facilities, including The Water Course education center in Clanton. The expanded research project will test the latest in solar energy technologies at locations around the state to see how well they work in Alabama’s cloudy and often hot and humid climate. "We're always looking for innovative ways to meet the demand for power while protecting the environment," said Matt Bowden, Alabama Power's vice president for Environmental Affairs. "Solar power is more expensive when compared to conventional energy sources. However, the technology is improving and costs are coming down. We need to stay abreast of these improvements so we can provide accurate information about renewable and alternative energy options for our customers." In addition to the solar panel installations, the company will be placing interactive kiosks at some offices around the state. The kiosks will display in real time the energy production from the solar panel systems. Data collected from the solar panels will be used by Alabama Power and EPRI to determine the efficiency of solar power technologies across the state. Alabama Power began examining solar power more than 30 years ago. Last year the company installed four different types of solar panels on the roof of its corporate headquarters. The public can view the energy production from those panels through a link on Alabama Power’s website. The additional panels around the state and the kiosks should be installed by the end of this year. Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO), provides electricity to more than 1.4 million customers across the state. |