LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — The metropolis of Hot Springs Tuesday unveiled its second photo voltaic plant, a part of its effort to energy one hundred pc of town’s operations with renewable power.
“It’s all about Arkansas. We’re the Natural State and with Hot Springs being a giant vacationer spot, for us to have the ability to prepared the ground within the state of Arkansas, going one hundred pc renewable for our municipal actions is step one and extra. will likely be seen,” stated Hot Springs Mayor Pat McCabe.
The photo voltaic plant is the results of a partnership between town and Scenic Hill Solar, the most important solar energy developer in Arkansas.
According to metropolis officers, the brand new photo voltaic plant mixed with the previous one will energy about 50 p.c of town’s operations—the final word aim, one hundred pc.
“The ambition right here expressed by town is nearly as good as you may get for metropolis authorities operations; one hundred pc renewable power and lower your expenses for taxpayers and improve the native economic system and enhance nationwide safety,” stated Bill Halter, CEO of Scenic Hill Solar.
The new plant will primarily function the wastewater remedy facility in Hot Springs.
“There’s different capability on the market, however that is a serious consumer of electrical energy on this a part of our group within the Hot Springs metropolis departments,” McCabe informed KATV.
The new photo voltaic plant alone will generate greater than 6.6 million kilowatts of electrical energy—$600,000 value of electrical energy—per yr.
According to town, the plant will cut back carbon emissions by greater than 129,000 metric tons over the following 30 years, which equates to the next:
- Drive 330 million fewer passenger automotive miles
- Eliminate the burning of over 142 million kilos of coal
- Provide greater than 25,439 homes with electrical energy inside a yr
Scenic Hill Solar sells electrical energy to Hot Springs at a lower cost than town will get from main utility firm Entergy.
“We promote them electrical energy at a lower cost than they’d pay their utility, Entergy Arkansas, and by doing that town of Hot Springs and their taxpayers lower your expenses with out spending any cash,” Halter stated.
Scenic Hill Solar’s different municipal shoppers embrace Stuttgart and Clarksville—it additionally gives electrical energy to Central Arkansas Water, Arkansas’ largest water utility.
Halter and metropolis officers who attended Tuesday’s ribbon reducing made it clear that Hot Springs’ increasing use of solar energy brings them into direct battle with Entergy.
“Overcoming fierce opposition from a predatory monopoly utility each step of the way in which,” Halter stated. “It’s a struggle and it is a struggle value combating.”
