PENNINGTON, NJ, Aug. 29, 2007 -- WorldWater & Solar Technologies Corp., developer and marketer of proprietary high-power solar systems, announced today it will build a photovoltaic system up to 1.2 Megawatts to provide electricity and water pumping power for the Valley Center Municipal Water District (VCMWD) of Valley Center, California. The system will be owned by Solar Power Partners of Mill Valley, California, which will operate it for VCMWD under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The actual size of the system will be determined by the results of environmental and site engineering work.
The system will use WorldWater's proprietary AquaMax™ drives to provide pumping power for drinking water and irrigation. VCMWD is the second largest water provider in San Diego County behind the City of San Diego.
Gary Arant, General Manager of VCMWD, commented, "Our Board's vote for this project was enthusiastic and unanimous. Throughout the process, all involved recognized the importance of securing clean, reliable, cost effective electric energy to meet our commitment to our customers and community. With this in mind, WorldWater, VCMWD's staff and Solar Partners worked very hard to bring this project to this point in the process. We are very excited and anxious to keep the project moving forward and bring it on-line as soon as possible."
In 2006, WorldWater worked with VCMWD's Board of Directors on a project feasibility study and later procured rebates on their behalf from the California Public Utility Commission through the California Solar Initiative Program. WorldWater will engineer, supply and construct the system, and will maintain it for Solar Power Partners. The planned site is near VCMWD's Betsworth pumping station in Valley Center. Pending environmental study approvals and final engineering, construction will start this year with completion scheduled for May 2008.
Quentin T. Kelly, Chairman and CEO of WorldWater, said, "We were selected largely because of our patented AquaMax™ technology which has proven itself highly effective in water utility operation. It's the only system that seamlessly switches back and forth from solar power to the grid or uses solar power alone for the multifaceted and critical pumping needs of a water district when the grid goes down."
Craig Hunt, Co-Founder and CEO of Solar Power Partners, said, "SPP is greatly pleased to have the Valley Center Municipal Water District as our PPA customer, and to be working closely with WorldWater to develop this exciting project."
Aquamax™ is the unique solar technology capable of powering electric pumps up to 1,000 horsepower and operates automatically in combination with grid, battery and diesel power. The system operates unattended and protects customers from paying peak grid rates during sunny periods. WorldWater is designated as a preferred solar supplier by the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA).
Solar Power Partners Inc. (SPP™) is a developer, owner, and manager of mid-size commercial solar energy facilities, built and operated to provide solar-generated electric power for commercial, educational, public sector, industrial and agricultural customers. SPP™ provides an innovative turnkey service that bundles development, financing and on-going operations tailored to meet customers' specific needs, though the use of Power Purchase Agreement financing.
California's State Legislature authorized the Valley Central Municipal Water District in 1911. The District serves residential, commercial and agricultural customers in northern San Diego County and covers over a 100 square mile with nearly 300 miles of water lines.
WorldWater & Solar Technologies Corporation is a full-service, international solar electric engineering and water management company with unique, high-powered and patented solar technology that provides solutions to a broad spectrum of the world's electricity and water supply problems.
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