Conference to Address Solar Electricity as One Solution To Nation's Energy Crisis

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Conference to Address Solar Electricity as One Solution

To Nation's Energy Crisis

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TO BUSINESS, ENERGY AND SCIENCE EDITORS:

Conference to Address Solar Electricity as One Solution

To Nation's Energy Crisis

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WASHINGTON, Jun. 8 -/E-Wire/-- The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), a unique partnership of leading electric utilities, energy service

providers, and companies which produce solar electric generating equipment, announced today a major conference focusing on solar technology's ability to play a rapidly increasing role in the balanced power portfolios needed to address the nation's complex electricity needs. This conference comes at a time when, due to escalating problems in California and nationwide, energy is at the forefront of the attention of consumers, local, state and federal governments, and the media. As a result, solar electricity is attracting unprecedented interest from all parties.

The conference, UPEx'01: the Photovoltaic Experience Conference and Exhibition, will be held in Sacramento, California from September 30 through October 4. The conference is hosted and co-sponsored by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), a leader in utility solar electric (photovoltaic, or PV) programs, which has installed over 8 MW of PV to-date, enough to power 2200 households, with another 7

MW underway. "As the host of UPEx'01, SMUD looks forward to sharing its PV experiences -- as well as the experience of other SEPA members -- with other utilities and

energy service providers to help stimulate the use of solar electricity in a balanced

energy mix," says Donald Osborn, SMUD's Superintendent of Renewable Generation Assets and Chair of UPEx'01. "Since its inception in 1996, UPEx has provided the most

important resource for utilities, energy service providers, PV companies, and other businesses interested in using solar electric power to share and learn from one another's experiences. UPEx 2001 is a most opportune time to find out how PV is being made rapidly growing and mainstream part of responding to our nation's pressing energy needs."

The conference is also co-sponsored by the California Energy Commission, AstroPower, Bekaert ECD Solar Systems, Commonwealth Edison, EBARA Solar, Hawaii Electric Light Company, Nuon, Salt River Project, Schott Applied Power, Western Area Power Administration, and Kyocera Solar.

"Today more than ever, solar electricity is a viable option for providing solutions to the nation's grid and reliability problems," says Jim Torpey, chairman

of SEPA and Director of Distributed Technologies for GPU Energy, an electric utility

and energy services company affiliated with a major international energy corporation. "Solar technology continues to improve at the same time as the need for integrated solutions is growing. Our goal, through tools such as UPEx, is to work more effectively with energy service providers and government agencies to build PV

markets in both residential and commercial sectors."

Based in Washington, D.C., SEPA works with energy service providers to create

and encourage commercial use of solar energy business models. SEPA helps to establish standards for photovoltaic systems and their interconnection to the utility grid, hosts cross-industry workshops, and manages educational and outreach campaigns. In efforts now being completed, SEPA leveraged $15 million of U.S. Department of Energy funds with $57 million of private funds to install 1100 PV systems totaling 7.25 megawatts of electricity. The group also serves as a full-service clearinghouse for information on solar electricity.

SEPA's membership includes 130 energy service providers, utilities, utility associations, photovoltaic module and component manufacturers, PV installers, integrators and distributors, government agencies, research organizations, and educational institutions. The energy service provider members represent 28 percent

of all U.S. electricity customers. SEPA was formerly known as the Utility PhotoVoltaic Group.

For more information about the Solar Electric Power Association and UPEx'01, visit http://www.SolarElectricPower.org .

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Solar Electric Power Association

http://www.SolarElectricPower.org

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