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Plans unveiled for mile-high solar power plant in Arizona

Siliken, which has developed large solar projects in Europe, is in the frame to build Pacific Blue's first major solar plant

Arizona solar developer Pacific Blue Energy Corp has revealed plans for its first project, a high-altitude utility-scale solar power facility in northern Arizona.

The Phoenix-based company formed in late 2009 has acquired a 154.3-acre site with an elevation of 5,300 feet for the project, 30 miles east of Flagstaff in Coconino County.

It says the project could be up to 20 megawatts in scale, and that the high altitude of the site could improve the efficiency of the 500,000 solar panels the plant may require.

The high-desert site offers cooler temperatures that Pacific Blue said would increase the photovoltaic cells.

With flat ground providing unobstructed sunlight, the site also benefits from a 69kV transmission line and substation just half a mile away.

The developer said soil tests had shown that the site can support the foundations for a solar panel racking system with “minimal’ costs.

The site has already been through the permitting process before, for a project unanimously approved by local officials, Pacific Blue said. It is hoping the County Board of Supervisors will continue to support renewable energy developments in the area.

Pacific Blue is also hoping the Flagstaff-area 2020 Regional Plan might help smooth over the entitlement process.

“Strong beginning”

“With each passing day, we feel that we are getting closer and closer to making this solar farm a reality – the first of hopefully many renewable energy projects,” said Joel Franklin, the Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Blue Energy Corp. “From this strong beginning, we hope to become a leading provider of renewable power in Arizona and the U.S.”

Pacific Blue is in discussions with Spanish-owned photovoltaic manufacturer Siliken Renewable Energy, Inc., to build the Coconino project, although final selections are expected to be made this summer. Siliken has previously built large plants including a 60MW facility in Spain.

The company is agreed to sell Siliken PV systems in the US in a deal agreed back in December, although that agreement covered just 50kW of modules.

Pacific Blue Energy Corporation was formed in October last year with interest in pursuing solar and wind energy projects. It has no staff other than its directors as of the end of March, 2010, but as well as developing its first solar project, the company is also currently seeking to acquire a 52.5% stake in a commercial wind development project, with expectations of an announcement this August.