Kalistani Major History

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Suldanor Opens Al-Khali Solar FarmKMD and KalNaPeCo to generate electricity
Sulari, Suldanor
November 12, 4470


The Al-Khali Solar Farm, named after Sulari's favorite son, Premier Abdulaziz Al-Khali, will generate electricity for 350,000 homes

Cheap energy has always been part of the mandate for KalNaPeCo.  But solar farms have never been on the agenda, until now.  KALNAPECO, the national Petroleum company, has teamed with KalMD to develop the first great solar farm in Kalistan.  Benefiting from inexpensive photovoltaics sold by overseas distributors, primarily from Baltusia and domestic production which has just begun ramping up, the large, double solar array collects the sun's energy during the day and charges batteries to produce an even flow of current throughout the day and night.

"These photovoltaics are so sensitive," said new AKSF spokeswoman Jill Dove, "that even in cloudy and rainy days, the farms operate at 57% capacity, meaning that as long as the sun is up, we are generating power.  More power, in fact that is needed by the customers that we immediately serve."  The Solar Farm produces enough power daily to power 350,000 homes, but since the more than 450,000 homes in Sulari and that doesn't include businesses, the farm is intended to act as a back up to other power generation from more traditional methods.

"Ultimately, the goal is to move off of natural gas," said KalNaPeCo CEO Frank Franco.  "KalNaPeCo, in making investments in renewable energy, will guarantee our own profitability by extending the supply of oil we are pulling out of the ground.  The Solar Farm that we have opened with KMD takes pressure off demand for current KNP production, so that we aren't being asked to pull ever increasing amounts of oil and gas up and depleting our reserves as quickly.  It is a small investment, compared to the cost of running aground when the oil dries up."

Ultimately, the AKSF will not replace fossil fuel usage.  "There's 100 million people in Kalistan, and 36 million homes in Kalistan," said Dove.  "We'd have to build more than 100 of these farms to just barely meet demand Republic wide.  So far, there is an additional one planned for Senvias, Vrassa.  But it is a start.  And it proves that it can be done."

KMD and KNP have sold the Solar Farm over to the nationalized power grid, as per the Law, guaranteeing an immediate and final onetime profit of 2.3%.  The entire project cost the companies more than 23 million Rubles to build.  The Solar Farm is now operated by the Kalistani Government, and serves Sulari primarily.  The farm will be maintained by the NSP under instruction by KMD technicians who are on contract with the NSP for technical consultation.