Renewable Resources

Solar Power Project

AECI's Utility Sales Tests Solar Power

The Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI) Utility Sales Department won't be going off the grid anytime soon, but they are testing another source of power – solar energy.

In early 2009, the department purchased solar panels as part of a pilot program to test small-scale solar power systems to determine if AECI might add them to their product offerings.

Preformed Line Products installed the system which has 33 panels and cost about $47,000. In addition to the panels, the system has an inverter that converts the DC power produced by the panels to AC power that is used in the building. The system has a generation capacity of 7,000 watts.

AECI Solar Power System Installation