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THE BIG PICTURE
WWW.INTELLIGENTUTILITY.COM /// JULY/AUGUST 2011
12
PROJECTS AT A GLANCE
By Kate Rowland
The project list at DMEA is lengthy. Here are a few
more salient details about each, with links to even
more information.
HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY
DMEA has provided an online “Home Energy Savers”
booklet, offering tips to customers on saving
energy and money at home. It can be viewed here:
http://www.dmea.com/index.php?option=com_
wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=105
The co-op also offers its customers
home appliance rebates, explained here:
http://www.dmea.com/index.php?option=com_
content&view=article&id=74&Itemid=107
KILL A WATT METERS
DMEA last fall donated 15 Kill A Watt electricity
usage monitors to the libraries within the company’s
service territory. These devices can now be checked
out, like any other library materials, and used by
members at home to plug in their 110-volt home
appliances and other electronic devices to determine
their electrical draw and the resulting cost.
SOUTH CANAL HYDROPOWER PROJECT
The South Canal Project, a combined effort between
DMEA and the Umcompahgre Water Valley Users
Association, is part of the two groups’ commitment
to developing western Colorado’s hydropower
potential. The two filed for a federal release of
power privileges to use the run-of-river flow of
water coming through the Gunnison Tunnel for
approximately six MW of generating capacity. The
hydroelectric plant, announced in September 2009,
is considered one of the largest renewable energy
facilities in western Colorado.
The project has an historical connection, as
well as the added bonus inherent in being a runof-river
project: no dam construction in necessary.
As far as the history is concerned, the six-mile
Gunnison Tunnel was first opened in 1909 by
then-U.S. President William Howard Taft. More
information on the project is available here:
http://www.dmea.com/index.php?option=com_
content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=100
COMMUNITY SOLAR ARRAY
As of April 2011, DMEA’s community solar array
was fully leased, and the co-op is exploring a
potential second phase to
the project. In the first
phase, both residential
and business co-op
members were offered
the opportunity to lease
a portion of DMEA’s two
10-kW photovoltaic solar
electric arrays, with leases
starting at a one-time
$10 payment, ranging up to
$10,000 worth of capacity.
Members leasing a portion
of the solar array receive
a credit on their electricity
bills each month for the electricity their portion
of the array produces.
Each $10 block leased provides members with
2.67 watts of solar capacity in the array (an estimated
annual bill credit, per $10 block, of about
50 cents). More information is available here:
http://www.dmea.com/index.php?option=com_
content&view=article&id=156&Itemid=101
NET METERING
DMEA’s net metering policy encourages its members
to install solar, wind, hydro and other renewable
generation devices up to 25 kilowatts (aggregate
nameplate capacity at one metered location) to
either fulfill or partially fulfill their own electricity
requirements. Interconnection standards are also
set, and applications must be made to the co-op.
Information is here: http://www.dmea.com/images/
stories/PDF/netmetering_policy.pdf
—with files from the Delta-Montrose Electric Association