Tennessee Solar Contractor Awarded

Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 12:04 pm
The State Building Commission last week approved Chattanooga-based Signal Energy as the design/build contractor for the West Tennessee Solar Farm to be located along Interstate 40 in Haywood County.
The proposed five-megawatt, 30-acre power generation facility is part of Governor Phil Bredesen’s Volunteer State Solar Initiative, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and will be one of the largest solar installations in the Southeast.
The Department of Economic and Community Development has contracted with the University of Tennessee to oversee planning, operation and management of the West Tennessee Solar Farm.
The Farm will consist of over 20,000 high efficiency silicon-based photovoltaic modules in a 5 MW configuration, expected to produce more than 7,000 megawatt hours of electricity annually.
Installation of the solar modules is expected to begin in October 2010 with completion the following spring.
UT selected Signal Energy following a competitive request-for-proposal process. Signal Energy is a full service design/build contractor providing engineering, procurement and construction services for renewable energy projects across North America. As a subsidiary of EMJ corporation, Signal Energy is the renewable energy arm of one of the nation’s largest general contractors.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation will also build an education and welcome center at the Solar Farm which will serve as an educational facility for the public and students to learn about renewable energy.
The Solar Farm will utilize commercially available power generation technology, but may also test new technology under real world conditions.
The Volunteer State Solar Initiative is a comprehensive solar energy and economic development program focusing on job creation, education, renewable power production and technology commercialization and is being established using $62.5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding received by ECD.
The Initiative consists of two components, the West Tennessee Solar Farm and the Tennessee Solar Institute at UT.
WCP 7.20.10