Coal Plant Adds Solar Panels

Jeremy Alm
Cameo, CO -- The Cameo power plant is doing something that no other coal power plant in the country has done before. It's going green by implementing solar panels.
"It's the technology of the future and it's a great way to prove it out," says David Eves, President and CEO of Public Service Company of Colorado, an Xcel Energy Company.
Earlier today Ccel reps at the Cameo power plant unveiled it's completed project and gave themselves a pat on the back.
"It's the first time the technology has been developed and deployed like this in the world," says Eves.
Ccel says the solar panels heat the water before it goes into the plant's boiler, saving power and making the plant greener.
"We'll continue to get integrate more and more renewable energy in our mix, cleaner energy. We're looking at all our coal plants around our system now. And looking to see if we can improve on our emissions and our environmental performance," says Eves.
The 4. 5 million dollar project started in August of 2009. Depending on the results, the technology might be used across the country.
"Solar has a lot of potential to be a major source of energy for this country. And so we're kind of on the beginning cusp of integrating solar power into our existing power structures," says Hank Price, Abengoa Vice President.
For now, Price says Xcel is looking to use the technology at it's larger coal plants in Colorado.
"It offers a low cost opportunity for integrating solar into our existing power grid," says Price.
There's no word when other Xcel power plants will use this technology.