LOS ANGELES, Nov. 20, 2003—Southern California Gas Co. (The Gas Company®) presented a $4.5 million incentive award—its largest ever—to the U.S. Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force Training Command Twentynine Palms base today for installing one of the largest photovoltaic systems in the United States.
The award is funded by the Self Generation Incentive Program, launched in 2001 by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in response to California’s electricity crisis. The statewide program encourages qualifying businesses in California to generate their own electricity on-site, thereby increasing the state’s supply of electricity. The Gas Company administers this program for customers in its service territory.
“To date, we have provided awards to more than 43 customers for installations that generate a total of 10.2 megawatts—enough electricity to power more than 10,000 homes,” said Richard M. Morrow, vice president of customer service for major markets for The Gas Company. “Most of this generation comes from cogeneration systems using high-efficiency gas engines and microturbines.”
The Marine Corps’ new photovoltaic system generates about 10 percent of the base’s electric needs.
Prior to today’s award, the largest incentive ever paid under the program in California was $3.6 million for an 800-kilowatt photovoltaic installation in San Diego for the U.S. Navy.
The Self-Generation Incentive Program offers the following incentives for generation projects of up to 1.5 megawatts:
- $4.50 per watt (not to exceed half of the total project cost) for using photovoltaic, wind turbines and fuel cells operating on renewable fuels;
- $2.50 per watt (not to exceed 40 percent of the total project cost) for fuel cells operating on non-renewable fuels;
- $1.50 per watt (not to exceed 40 percent of the total project cost) for micro-turbines, internal combustion engines and small gas turbines operating on renewable fuels; and
- $1 per watt (not to exceed 30 percent of the total project cost) for microturbines, internal combustion engines and small turbines with combined heat and power.
For more information on the Self-Generation Incentive Program, customers can visit The Gas Company’s Web site at www.socalgas.com/business/selfgen.
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