{"id":24617,"date":"2015-07-30T11:14:40","date_gmt":"2015-07-30T16:14:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/?p=24617"},"modified":"2015-07-30T11:27:41","modified_gmt":"2015-07-30T16:27:41","slug":"why-solar-energy-is-growing-slowly-in-oklahoma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2015\/07\/30\/why-solar-energy-is-growing-slowly-in-oklahoma\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Solar Energy is Growing Slowly in Oklahoma"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_24618\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 620px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24618\" alt=\"Mary Fallin meets with a worker at a July 2015 event commemorating Oklahoma Gas & Electric's new solar farm in Oklahoma City.\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/20150727-mustang-solar-pics127_WEB.jpg\" width=\"620\" height=\"413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/20150727-mustang-solar-pics127_WEB.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/20150727-mustang-solar-pics127_WEB-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/20150727-mustang-solar-pics127_WEB-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/20150727-mustang-solar-pics127_WEB-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Joe Wertz \/ StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mary Fallin meets with a worker at a July 2015 event commemorating Oklahoma Gas & Electric&#39;s new solar farm in Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n<\/div><p>Oklahoma is synonymous with energy. It\u2019s a major oil and gas state and one of the country\u2019s leaders in wind power. But Oklahoma has been slow on solar energy, and experts say that\u2019s because of state policy \u2014 not the sun.<\/p><p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/217046694&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=false\" height=\"150\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p><p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h3>Solar \u2018science experiment\u2019<\/h3><p>Lawmakers, local business and community leaders, and workers in hardhats on July 27 gathered beneath a tent to celebrate the opening of a new solar power project in west Oklahoma City.<\/p><p>The guest of honor, Gov. Mary Fallin, arrived in an electric Nissan Leaf and made a few short remarks.<\/p><p>Adding \u201csolar power into our energy mix in our state is truly a great accomplishment and something I\u2019m very excited to see,\u201d Fallin said, before throwing a fake switch and ceremoniously \u201cenergizing\u201d Oklahoma Gas & Electric\u2019s new solar farm.<\/p><p>The project is split in two parts and was built on both sides of the Mustang Power Plant, a 482-megawatt natural gas-fired steam unit built in 1950. That means OG&E\u2019s newest power source was built on the grounds of its oldest. Renewable energy shares a field with fossil fuel.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_24619\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 620px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-24619\" alt=\"20150727 - mustang solar pics188_WEB\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/20150727-mustang-solar-pics188_WEB.jpg\" width=\"620\" height=\"413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/20150727-mustang-solar-pics188_WEB.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/20150727-mustang-solar-pics188_WEB-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/20150727-mustang-solar-pics188_WEB-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/20150727-mustang-solar-pics188_WEB-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Joe Wertz \/ StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">\n<\/div><p>The north section of the solar farm, which will go into service soon, has 8,000 sun-tracking solar panels capable of generating 2 megawatts. The half-megawatt south farm has 2,000 stationary panels and went online in May 2015. Combined, the fields of solar panels generate enough electricity to power around 500 homes, says Scott Milanowski, OG&E\u2019s director of engineering, innovation and technology.<\/p><p>\u201cThis is a bit of a science experiment for us, it\u2019s our first entry into solar power,\u201d Milanowski says on a tour of the south farm. \u201cWe also last summer put solar panels on two of our buildings.\u201d<\/p><p>Solar energy can be collected or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nrel.gov\/learning\/re_csp.html\">concentrated<\/a> to heat water for homes or power steam generators, but the most common way to get the sun\u2019s energy onto the electric grid is through <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nrel.gov\/learning\/re_photovoltaics.html\">photovoltaics<\/a> \u2014 solar panels \u2014 installed in big arrays or on a smaller scale on roofs of homes and buildings.<\/p><p>OG&E is studying both, including solar power generated by the utility itself \u2014 and solar power added by residential customers. Milanowski says Oklahoma has abundant solar power potential.<\/p><p>\u201cWe\u2019re standing out here on a bright, clear, blue day and the sun is going to be providing excellent output,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s interesting because Oklahoma is a little bit behind the curve as far as installing solar with regard to a lot of the rest of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_24646\"  class=\"wp-caption module image right\" style=\"max-width: 620px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-24646\" alt=\"PV-solar_map\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/PV-solar_map-620x479.jpg\" width=\"620\" height=\"479\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/PV-solar_map-620x479.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/PV-solar_map-500x386.jpg 500w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/PV-solar_map-1920x1484.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/PV-solar_map-150x116.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/PV-solar_map-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2015\/07\/PV-solar_map-1398x1080.jpg 1398w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">U.S. Department of Energy \/ National Renewable Energy Laboratory<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">\n<\/div>\n<h3>Drivers and barriers<\/h3><p>Oil and gas is king in Oklahoma, but it\u2019s also a heavyweight in wind power. The state is No. 4 in installed wind power capacity. When it comes to solar energy, however, the Sooner State ranks near the bottom. Researchers say Oklahoma has plenty of sun, but the resource is blocked by state policies.<\/p><p>Solar <a href=\"http:\/\/energy.gov\/maps\/solar-energy-potential\">energy potentia<\/a>l varies from state to state and is most concentrated in southwestern states like Arizona, California, New Mexico and Nevada. But the sun\u2019s intensity is a relatively small part of the solar energy equation, says Tyler Ogden, a solar analyst at Boston-based Lux Research.<\/p><p>\u201cWhat\u2019s really key in the adoption in solar on a state-by-state level is the policies that are in place,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content alignright\">\n<h4 class=\"related-header\">Related<\/h4>\n<div class=\"links\">\n<h5>Posts<\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2015\/06\/09\/regulators-should-reject-oge-rate-hike-judge-recommends\/\">Regulators Should Reject OG&E Rate Hike, Judge Recommends<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2015\/04\/09\/in-southwest-oklahoma-a-farmer-harvests-the-wind-and-watches-the-state-capitol\/\">In Southwest Oklahoma, a Farmer Harvests the Wind and Watches the State Capitol<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"topics\">\n<h5>Topics<\/h5>\n<p class=\"topic\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2011\/10\/windTN.jpeg\" height=\"60\" width=\"60\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/topic\/wind-energy\/\">Wind Energy: Electricity and Economic Potential in Oklahoma<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><p>To explain the differences, Ogden compared Oklahoma to Massachusetts.<\/p><p>Massachusetts averages about 3.5 \u201csun-peak\u201d hours a day; Oklahoma averages 5 to 6. But despite having less solar potential, Massachusetts <a href=\"http:\/\/www.seia.org\/state-solar-policy\/massachusetts\">ranks No. 6<\/a> in solar capacity. Oklahoma <a href=\"http:\/\/www.seia.org\/state-solar-policy\/oklahoma\">ranks 45th<\/a>.<\/p><p>\u201cOklahoma currently has some policies that are acting as barriers to the adoption of solar or acting as weights that are preventing the establishment of a foundation for the emergence and growth of a solar market,\u201d Ogden says<\/p><p>Ogden says <a href=\"http:\/\/www.seia.org\/research-resources\/2014-top-10-solar-states\">top solar states<\/a> are more aggressive with tax incentives and environmental mandates for renewable energy. They also make it easy and cheap for individual customers to add solar to the power grid.<\/p><p>Fees levied on electric customers who want to generate electricity with rooftop solar panels \u2014 known as distributed generation \u2014 can discourage solar growth, Ogden says. Oklahoma recently enacted a law <a href=\"http:\/\/newsok.com\/oklahoma-solar-customers-may-see-charges-for-grid-costs\/article\/5361990\/?page=2\">clearing the path for utilities to impose such charges<\/a>, which they argue is fair because it helps offset expensive electrical distribution technology and infrastructure.<\/p><p>But Ogden says the biggest driver in solar energy growth around the country \u2014 especially residential solar \u2014 is due to \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/apps3.eere.energy.gov\/greenpower\/onsite\/solar_financing.shtml\">third-party ownership<\/a>\u201d<\/p><p>\u201cThat\u2019s usually through a lease model or what\u2019s called power-purchase agreement where a homeowner or business would buy the electricity by the kilowatt-hour from the owner of the system,\u201d he says.<\/p><p>A homeowner, for example, could get cash or credit for the electricity without having to pay to install and maintain the solar panels.<\/p><p>Oklahoma is one of a few states that block such arrangements. Ogden says third-party ownership is one reason Texas, which has comparable solar energy potential, is a top solar state and Oklahoma isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<h3>Power of prices<\/h3><p>There\u2019s another reason Oklahoma has been sluggish on solar: Electricity prices. Oklahoma has some of the cheapest power in the country.<\/p><p>On average, Oklahoman\u2019s pay 7.54 cents a kilowatt-hour for electricity, data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration show. The U.S. average is 9.84 cents a kilowatt-hour.<\/p><p>\u201cWe\u2019ve got relatively low prices for electricity and we don\u2019t have the state mandates to put this in,\u201d OG&E\u2019s Milanowski says. \u201cWe\u2019re doing this voluntarily. We\u2019re doing this on our own dime.\u201d<\/p><p>Ogden, the solar analyst, says inexpensive electricity means fewer people are interested in seeking out new sources of energy \u2014 and fewer people are willing to pay for the technology to collect it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Oklahoma is synonymous with energy. It\u2019s a major oil and gas state and one of the country\u2019s leaders in wind power. But Oklahoma has been slow on solar energy, and experts say that\u2019s because of state policy \u2014 not the sun.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":24618,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[490],"tags":[238,469,524],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24617"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24617"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24617\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24645,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24617\/revisions\/24645"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24618"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}