The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved four renewable energy contracts with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), marking another step toward its goal of fulfilling 20% of its customers' energy needs from environmentally friendly sources by 2010.
According to SDG&E, the contracts total about 140 MW of solar, biomass and geothermal energy. While the utility finalized the contracts last year, the CPUC approval gives the official green light to move ahead with the projects.
The approvals include two contracts with Bethel Solar to deliver 100 MW of electricity in two phases in June and December 2008 from solar technology at two sites in Imperial Valley. A contract with Bull Moose Energy will gasify green waste, such as tree trimmings, to generate and deliver 20 MW of electricity from a biomass facility located in San Diego County by December 2008. In addition, Esmeralda San Felipe Geothermal LLC will provide 20 MW of geothermal power to SDG&E by December 2010.
