Department of Energy approves Tennessee Solar Initiative

On September 14th, 2009, The Department of Energy approved Tennessee’s State Energy Plan. This plan, known as the Volunteer State Solar Initiative, is considered to be a big step forward for the developing solar markets in Tennessee state.

The State Energy Plan focuses on two important projects: a 5MW solar farm and the development of a Solar Institute.

The solar farm will be located in west Tennessee. Being the first Megawatt-scale solar installation in the state and one of the largest in the Southeast, The West Tennessee Solar Farm will provide clean, renewable energy to the Tennessee Valley Authority. At the same time, it will offer research opportunities to learn about the interconnection issues associated with incorporating large-scale solar generation into the grid. The solar farm project also includes an extensive educational facility, with an energy efficient visitors center that will demonstrate the benefits of solar energy and its place in Tennessee’s energy future.

The second part of the Initiative will be the Solar Institute that will be located on the UT campus in Knoxville. It will have as a primary target to accelerate growth in industries linked to sun light. To accomplish this goal, the Institute will provide in next future financial and technical support for widespread installation of new technologies across the state. With the research already being done by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee Valley Authority and other state institutions, the Institute will provide a forum for technical expertise to collaborate with business and policy leaders to accelerate the advancement of sun technologies into the mainstream.



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