Will the electricity generated be used locally?
OCI Solar Power projects typically connect to distribution lines that provide power to the local community. Or in some cases, our projects connect to the lower rated power transmission lines designed to take power from the large ‘super-highway’ lines running across the country and move it to local areas where the power can be dropped off and used by local communities.
How many houses can be powered by a solar power plant?
The number of houses a particular project powers depends on the scope of the solar facility. For example, 1 megawatt is enough to power 300 homes on average. Daily and annual electricity consumption is highly variable so this average can fluctuate.
Is solar power expensive?
Investment in renewable resources, such as solar power, is essential in helping reduce the United States’ dependence on non-renewable resources such as coal and gas. While initial investment in solar power is more costly versus coal plants, once the project is completed solar energy is virtually free. No fuel is required to power a solar plant.
Will my electricity bill go up?
Many states are regulated by Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) that require electricity providers to acquire a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable resources such as solar power. As increased options for renewable power are made available for your electricity provider to choose from, the cost of compliance will go down and ultimately gets passed on to the consumer. Utilities that do not meet their RPS typically are penalized for non-compliance.