A solar panel similar to what will be used to power Nellis Air Force Base. (FOX5)Nellis Air Force Base will soon run entirely on solar power during the day. On Tuesday, an NV Energy crew began constructing infrastructure needed for an enormous solar panel field on the base.
The solar panels are being installed on what is now a landfill. When complete, it will generate a lot of power, and the base uses plenty of it.
“You have some functions that utilize energy like flight simulators and data labs and things like that,” Lt. Col. Brian Hartless said.
The field will contain about 40,000 panels and is the size of between 70 and 80 football fields.
It would take about eight of the panels to run a typical Las Vegas home. The field will contain enough to supply energy to 5,000 homes.
Power will be transmitted across the base from an NV Energy substation, which will also be located on the base.
Unfortunately, the move likely won’t save the base money. NV Energy said solar energy costs about the same as natural gas. However, money isn’t the point. This is the base’s second solar panel project.
“It gives us a chance to continue that leadership role that we play and essentially provide energy security for the base,” Hartless said.
NV Energy is investing $50 million in the project, which is slated to be complete by the end of this year.
SunPower, which is constructing the field, built the largest solar panel field in the world, located in Southern California.
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Nellis AFB undertaking massive solar conversion project
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