ROSWELL, N.M. (May 11, 2018) – Xcel Energy’s solar demonstration facility on the Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell campus has been freshened up with new signage just in time to play a role in “SuperDay” – a Roswell Independent School District field day for gifted and talented students May 15.
Xcel Energy will join with other volunteers, businesses and organizations in leading career workshops for elementary-level gifted students, with Xcel Energy’s 35-kilowatt photovoltaic solar energy facility serving as an outdoor classroom.
The facility, located behind the Occupational Technology Center on the southern edge of the ENMU-R campus along West Earl Cummings Loop, came on line in 2010 and has served the dual purpose of generating clean energy for Xcel Energy customers and educating Roswell residents on the benefits of solar energy.
The Roswell site is one of four installations in Xcel Energy’s Community Solar program, all aimed at educating the public and engaging students in solar energy development, said Mike McLeod, regional manager for Community and Economic Development in Roswell. The other facilities are located in Hobbs, Carlsbad and Clovis.
The solar demonstration facility showcases common solar configurations, including rooftop, stand-alone, single axis and dual axis arrays. Also featured are some uncommon configurations such as a thin solar film on light poles, McLeod said. Electric meters show the output of the solar installation, and monitoring systems measure and collect ambient temperature, wind speed and levels of solar radiation.
“It’s a working solar plant that is providing clean energy to the power grid while serving a valuable educational purpose,” McLeod said. “We’ve invested in new signage and updated the information to help our customers learn about an emerging industry that is becoming increasingly important in our region.”
McLeod said the facility’s information systems can be connected to a data logger to upload energy production and atmospheric data on a web portal that can be accessed by Roswell schools. The portal is a learning tool with direct access into the workings of a photovoltaic solar array.
In recent years, Xcel Energy has tapped several large solar facilities in southeastern New Mexico to supply clean energy for its New Mexico and Texas customers. NextEra Energy Resources’ Roswell-Chaves Solar Energy Center opened in the fall of 2016, providing 140 megawatts of solar energy to Xcel Energy from photovoltaic solar panels spread across 1,400 acres northeast of the city. Additionally, the company purchases 50 megawatts of solar energy from five SunEdison photovoltaic facilities located in Lea and Eddy counties.
Xcel Energy’s solar facility at ENMU-R is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Groups or individuals interested in a guided tour can contact Xcel Energy at (575) 625-5415 to schedule an appointment.
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About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
