SALT LAKE CITY — Mayor Ralph Becker, Councilwoman Jill Remington Love and Sustainability Director Vicki Bennett helped launch the city’s new solar farm project at a groundbreaking event on Tuesday at the project site, 1995 W. 500 South.
On completion, the solar array will produce 1 megawatt of renewable energy from 3,000 panels covering roughly four acres. The project was financed as part of the publicly approved new Public Safety Building and will help that facility achieve a net zero energy rating.
“The solar farm is a first for Salt Lake City,” said Mayor Ralph Becker. “We are utilizing a historical landfill — space that cannot be used for traditional development – to harness renewable energy and offset the energy use at the Public Safety Building.”
To achieve net zero, a term applied to buildings that produce as much energy as they use, the Public Safety Building utilizes energy efficient building practices and solar energy harvested both on the roof of the facility and through the new solar farm. The two sites will produce enough energy to offset the power requirements of the Public Safety Building.