Solar in the Midwest? Ameren gives it a try

Ameren Corp. has planned their first solar power projects in St. Louis, Mo. and Illinois. This is a big step, as the company currently generates 85 percent of its power from coal, 10 to 15 percent from nuclear and a few watts from methane and hyrdoelectric sources.
Under mandate to transition 15 percent of its capacity to renewable sources by 2021, the company will be building a solar demonstration project at its headquarters in St. Louis. The project will consist of three different types of photovoltaic technology. Each array will be studied for efficiency, power production and reliability. This information will then be presented online for customers to evaluate.
Ameren has been keeping tabs on solar power for years. With solar panels costing less than ever (and expected to continue dropping in price) it decided the time was right to launch its own solar initiative. After the Jan. 1, 2010, the company will be offering $2 per kilowatt in rebates, up to a maximum of $50,000, for qualified solar installations. And the pilot array in St. Louis will range from 25 to 550 kilowatts.
The 15 percent mandate will be achieved in stages. At least 2 percent of generation must be renewable by 2011. In 2021’s final assessment, at least 2 percent must be solar power. According to Missouri law, the utility can not raise rates to pay for a power plant that is not yet online, and any rate increase must be equal to or less than 1 percent.
Ameren president Thomas Voss doesn’t think Missouri and Illinois have much renewable power potential. There isn’t a lot of wind power in Missouri except for the upper west corner. Illinois does a little better with wind. Neither state is very reliable for solar. Breck Washem, head of engineering firm Burns & McDonnell, agrees. Voss says “We can tell people really want to see it here.” Of course, state legislation and public demand don’t necessarily make it feasible on a larger scale.
Fortunately, biomass, landfill gas scavenging and other forms of renewable power still have potential in the area. Ameren is working on a landfill methane project in suburban St. Louis that should come online in 2011. When completed, it should power upwards of 10,000 homes.
Looking at the bigger picture, Ameren’s dilemma is representative of the nation’s. Renewable power is needed as soon as possible, and huge amounts of money are being spent to develop it. While solar and wind get a lot of the press, they aren’t practical everywhere. Legislation can put a lot of pressure on utilities to develop power that doesn’t seem to be there. As solar technology drops in price, though, additional projects become feasible. In addition, methane capture and wood waste fuels create renewable and cleaner power in regions without much sunlight.