International partnerships in renewable energy: Promoting climate challenge partnerships by small U.S. utilities. Fourth project report, October 1997--March 1998

In 1997, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) received a grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) to implement a program to promote the participation of NRECA members in the President`s Climate Challenge Action Plan. NRECA had been in discussions with Salt River Project (SRP) and the Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO) to pursue the opportunity of supporting a small solar energy rural electrification project in Sonora prior to the signature of this agreement. When the Climate Challenge project was approved, an agreement between NRECA, SRP, and AEPCO was reached to implement the Sonora project with funding from DOE, SRP, and AEPCO. This periodic report will summarize the results of the Sonora solar electrification project. While other Climate Challenge activities were also underway during this reporting period, due to the impact of this project it was decided to provide an in-depth report of this single project. Information directly relevant to the actions taken on this project is provided in Annexes 1 and 2. The goals of the Sonora Solar Electrification project were the following: (1) demonstrate the willingness and ability of US electric utilities to undertake a climate challenge project using renewable energy technologies; (2) select one or more communities distant from the electric grid with sufficient interest and resources to accept and sustain rural electric service using solar photovoltaic energy; (3) organize a payment system that would provide for the long-term technical and institutional viability of the project; (4) train users to operate the solar home systems safely and within proper operating parameters; (5) train local technicians to maintain the solar home systems; (6) procure and install high quality equipment at affordable costs; and (7) ascertain market conditions for expansion of program in the future