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This is Marty Carpenter of the Salt Lake Chamber with your Utah Business Report.
Eighteen months ago, Salt Lake County commissioned its 1-point-65 megawatt solar energy generation plant on the roof of the Salt Palace Convention Center. Now the County plans to sell the Renewable Energy Certificates, or R-E-Cs, to nearby businesses.
A solar energy plant generates electricity and RECs, which represent the environmental attributes of renewable energy and can be resold separately. The Salt Palace's solar plant generates nearly 18 percent of the building's annual electricity.
Salt Lake County believes there is a local market for RECs, and is offering them to local businesses who are tied to the city's convention business. Acquiring RECs enables businesses to meet their corporate renewable energy compliance objectives.
Many businesses aren't able to use solar power with limited rooftop real estate and urban shading restraints. By offering the Salt Palace RECs to a select group of downtown businesses, Ron Barness says they can enable a business to expand their solar profile and keep the Salt Palace's environmental attributes "in the family." The Salt Lake Chamber is Utah's business leader. Learn how your business can get involved by visiting slchamber.com. This is Marty Carpenter for KSL News Radio.
