The Chevron Corporation has announced that it will be constructing a new photovoltaic solar panel facility on the site of one of its molybdenum mines in Questa, New Mexico.
The solar energy facility will consist of approximately 175 solar panels spread across 20 acres of land, making it the largest concentrating solar photovoltaic installation in the country.
Energy created by the facility will be sold to the Kit Carson Electric Cooperative as part of a separate power purchase agreement.
“Locating renewable energy projects on impacted lands is a great way to redevelop the land,” Richardson said. “I’m pleased that Questa – and Chevron Mining and Chevron Technology – will contribute to New Mexico’s solar energy production and help us build a strong clean energy economy. This makes economic and environmental sense.”
Fred Nelson, the president of Chevron Mining, added that the solar energy project would help demonstrate how previously impacted land could be remade to house “future alternative energy resources.”
Construction on the project will get underway this spring and is scheduled to be done by year’s end. It will be accompanied by an evaluation of the soil depths for when the facility eventually ends its mining operations.
