Rice mill plugs in one megawatt of solar power

Far West Rice Mills in Nelson, Calif., on Wednesday dedicated a one megawatt solar array that will provide three-fourths of its electricity.

The array is made up of 5,500 solar panels from Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics and was installed by Pacific Power Management.

The one megawatt array at Far West Rice Mills

(Credit: Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics)

Mitsubishi said that it's the largest solar-powered rice mill in the U.S.

Corporate solar installations in this range--Google's solar array at its headquarters generates 1.6 megawatts--are the biggest area for growth in the solar industry.

Corporations and agribusiness invest in these systems to get a predictable electricity price over several years, hedging against rising prices.

The Far West Rice Mills installation will deliver 1,440,000 kilowatt hours a year and qualifies for $1.8 million in rebates from Pacific Gas & Electric.

Update on June 19, 8:38 a.m. PT: Headline corrected to reflect that it is a rice mill.

[EnergyBob]

The rebate does NOT come from PG&E. It comes from the California Solar Initiative (CSI) and electricity users. The solar program in California is funded by a surcharge on everyone's electricity use. The program is part of the Go Solar California! Details can be found at: http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov

The CSI funded solar/PV systems on existing homes and businesses. The New Solar Homes Partnership funds solar on new construction.

But it's not PG&E's money...

[gerrrg]

I like the solar energy push. I think the real benefit will be the distributed energy generation that will lessen the peak loads on interstate grids, as well as generally keep these people with solar cells from drawing from the grid when the loads are heaviest (summer). This would tend to lessen the spot price increases during the summer, and keep electricity costs down from not having to invest in expanding infrastructure. Let's hope flexible cells flood the markets sooner rather than later.

[vidanuevatx]

The headline says it's a rice farm. The name of the company says it's a rice mill. I strongly suspect that it's a mill, not a farm. A rice farm grows rice. A rice mill processes rice. I doubt that the large installation of solar panels would be appropriate for a rice farm. For a rice mill, it makes sense.

[galeso]

I thought it might be both a farm and a mill, but their web site says it is a mill.

Too bad they took up farm land for the project. If I worked there, I would want to work and park in the shade.