Inoperable for Months, Alaska’s Largest Solar Array Won’t Save Money Yet Cost Millions

September 16, 2022

Color us skeptical that this is a good deal for Alaska.

Amid much fanfare, including from many high-positioned politicos, groundbreaking began this week on an 8.5-megawatt solar project in Alaska’s Mat-Su Valley. 

Per the project’s owners, CleanCapital, the project comes with a couple of noteworthy, potential pitfalls:

• Solar energy won’t be produced year-around, even with the project’s bifacial panels that draw energy from the sun hitting the snow and ice under and around the panels. The developers think they will be able to provide “good energy 10 months of the year”.

• The solar power that will integrate into Matanuska Electric’s grid won’t lead to customer savings.  According to Tony Izzo, MEA’s chief executive, it will help stabilize rates paid for power, but not directly benefit consumer bills.

The 14,000 panel, 45-acre farm will cost millions to build, according to developers, and no doubt, the materials to build it will come from Communist China and other non-domestic sources.  Having Alaska’s energy grid more dependent on the Chinese is not a good tactic.

Once again it’s a lose-lose proposition for Alaska’s families.