Ameresco completes first PV project developed at US DEA facility

August 16, 2018
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Now operational, the PV project will cut electricity costs, provide long-term electric pricing stability and lower carbon emissions of more than 3,400 metric tons annually. Image: Ameresco

Ameresco has completed a 2.5MW PV project  for the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at the El Paso Intelligence Center in El Paso, Texas. The installation stands as the first solar installation developed at a DEA site.

Nicole A. Bulgarino, executive vice president and general manager, federal solutions, Ameresco, said: “Ameresco applauds the leadership and vision of the DEA and the El Paso Intelligence Center as we celebrate the operation of this new solar system. We are proud to be a partner to the DEA on the agency’s first renewable energy system.”

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The 2.5MW PV project is comprised of a pair of ground-mounted solar plants on the site of the El Paso Intelligence Center. During 9,000 hours of project construction, more than 7,340 solar panels were installed at the site.

Now operational, the PV project will cut electricity costs, provide long-term electric pricing stability and lower carbon emissions of more than 3,400 metric tons annually. Ameresco will own and operate the solar project for 20 years.

The DEA contracted with Ameresco back in September 2017 under an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) through the US Department of Energy’s ESPC ENABLE program. As a whole the ESPC is expected to secure more than US$9.2 million in energy cost savings.

During the development phase, the US Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) provided technical support for project development, including grant funding through the Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) program.

16 June 2026
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 16-17 June 2026, will be our fifth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2027 and beyond.

Read Next

November 21, 2025
CPS Energy has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to acquire 600MW of new solar capacity through power purchase agreements (PPA).
November 20, 2025
US independent power producer (IPP) Arevon Energy has begun construction on a 124MW solar PV project in Illinois, its first utility-scale project in the state.
November 19, 2025
The US Department of Energy (DOE) will need to invest US$25 billion by 2030 to maintain its position as a leader in the global energy sector.
Premium
November 18, 2025
PV Talk: George Touloupas of Intertek CEA explains how the regulatory environment is ratcheting up for the solar supply chain.
November 17, 2025
US solar module manufacturer First Solar will build a new production facility in the state of South Carolina, which will bring its US nameplate manufacturing capacity to 17.7GW by 2027.
November 14, 2025
Developer rPlus Energies has acquired two solar and storage projects with the total capacity of 900MW in Ada County, Idaho.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Lisbon, Portugal
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA