Conference Honors San Benito for Solar Project
The Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association (TREIA) on Nov. 11 named the San Benito Solar Power Project its 2008 Project of the Year during the awards luncheon at its Texas Renewables 08 Conference in Austin.
This unique project provides partial power for the city's new Water Treatment Facility in the Rio Grande Valley. At 45 kW, it is the largest project of its kind on the Texas-Mexico border. Both from a technical standpoint and a project development standpoint it will serve as a model for the region. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Oct. 3, 2008.
Development of the project brought together several governmental entities in an innovative financing structure that makes it highly replicable. Critical to the successful completion of the project were the Texas General Land Office, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, the North American Development Bank, and the city of San Benito. The solar plant was designed and constructed by Worldwater & Solar Technologies Corp.
TREIA is a statewide non-profit organization of industries and individuals involved in solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and hydro electric energy products and/or services.