Power of the sun being tested in Rome - Rome News Tribune

A solar panel on a power pole near Classic Bowling Center. (Ryan Smith, RN-T.com)slideshow Georgia Power wants to know how much power the sun can serve up to the utility’s customers in the Rome area. Solar cells are being attached to the transmission lines at seven locations in West Rome to help determine how the solar collection system affects the power distribution grid.

The study is being conducted over an 18-month period in conjunction with the Electric Power Research Institute.

Each of the solar panels is approximately 3 feet by 5 feet and has the capability of producing about 200 watts of electricity. The panels are not expected to create a major increase in the amount of energy that flows through the distribution system.

Each of the panels costs $5,000 and EPRI is footing the bill for the units, which are able to convert sunlight directly into power. As the sun hits the cells, it frees up electrons, which create a power current.

EPRI Board Chairman James Turner said that while the poles and transmission lines of the power grid look much the way they have for a lifetime, assumptions and expectations about how a new smart grid can transform consumers into efficient energy managers is beginning to take place at a rapid pace.

“What we want to find out is which areas may be better for solar than other areas,” said Jeff Wilson, a spokesman for Georgia Power. “Even though it’s all in Georgia, there are different weather patterns in different areas of the state and we want to see which areas perform better than others.”

Similar studies are being performed at sites in Valdosta, Macon, Augusta, Columbus, Savannah and Conley.

Wilson said the utility wants to find out how the solar cells work in conjunction with the power lines.

Georgia Power and EPRI will review the data after the 18-month study period.

“From there, we will use that data and craft our plan for moving forward with solar,” Wilson said. “Even after the 18-month project, we’ll still have these solar panels on our lines, and we’ll continue to collect data moving forward. It will help us identify ways that solar can be part of our energy portfolio.”

The utility will be looking at the impact of temperature, cloud cover and solar intensity as it evaluates the data.

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