Friday, September 24, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

RENEWABLE ENERGY: UNLV adds to solar supply

Generator is university's third

About 30 people gather in the shadow of the 6,000-pound Amonix Mega Module for its dedication ceremony at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on Thursday. UNLV faculty and students are performing research experiments on the solar power generator, built by Torrance, Calif.-based Amonix Inc.
Photo by Clint Karlsen.

UNLV officials have been working with government and private entities to beat neighboring states and other countries in the race to harvest sunlight.

On Thursday they showed off the university's third solar power generator, equipped with high-tech photovoltaic, or solar, cells that can produce more energy using less space than conventional solar panels.

"If you had 250 suns all side by side, shining on you that's the kind of intense sunlight that you would get if you were in the beam of one of these things," said Bob Boehm, director of UNLV's Center for Energy Research.

The 45-foot tall Amonix Mega Module looks like a drive-in movie screen and provides enough juice to power 250 light bulbs.

It's been on site since March and President Carol Harter, researchers and state officials touted its sun seizing cells at the Amonix dedication ceremony Thursday as an important future renewable energy source for Nevada. Students and faculty are conducting research on the device to increase its efficiency.

But several key energy officials noted Nevada will never abandon its dependency upon fossil fuels.

"Have we reached the point where solar has arrived? Not quite yet," said Richard Burdette, director of the Nevada State Office of Energy. "But if it's going to work anywhere, it's going to work here."

Ten to 15 years from now, most of Nevada's energy will still come from fossil fuels, he said. But if the state diversifies with renewable energy sources, it will protect Nevada's power supply, supplicate needs during peak power periods and steady natural gas prices.

Most of Nevada's solar power use, about one megawatt, comes in the form of solar panels atop homes. But if the Public Utilities Commission next week approves a renewable energy funding program, Burdette said, the state could see 50 megawatts of solar energy produced as early as next year.

At peak hours, Nevada Power Co. uses about 5,000 megawatts to power most of Southern Nevada. Most of the power from the Amonix module is fed into the local power grid.

Some experts say Southern Nevada is not the most efficient place for photovoltaics. As temperatures top 100, the cells' efficiency declines considerably.

If solar energy is ever to become economical, experts say, public consumption must increase.

"Every time you double the production of solar cells, the cost drops about 20 percent," said Robert McConnell, project leader of the National Center for Photovoltaics, who attended Thursday's ceremony wearing a solar tie.

Amonix President and CEO, Vahan Garboushian said the UNLV generator probably cost between $250,000 and $300,000 to construct. But as production increases, UNLV's device could cost as low as $50,000, he said.