Jason Patterson, communications specialist with Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association, recently spoke to the Yazoo City Rotary Club about the evolution of how power is generated in Mississippi over the years.
In 2005, coal was the source of 56 percent of the energy generated for Cooperative Energy, which generates electricity for Yazoo Valley and 10 other electric cooperatives in Mississippi. Natural gas provided 26 percent, nuclear provided 12 percent, and hydroelectric generation accounted for four percent.
By 2021 natural gas generation accounted for 74 percent, while coal fell to 12 percent due to lower prices on natural gas and focusing on reducing the pollution caused by coal-fired plants. Nuclear power accounted for 10 percent of the total generation by 2021 and hydroelectric generation totaled three percent.
Solar power generation, which was not part of the mix in 2005 at all, accounted for one percent of the total generation in 2021.
Renewable energy sources are a growing source of generation for Cooperative Energy. Cooperative Energy owns nine small-scale solar sites across the state with a combined capacity of 900 kW. Cooperative Energy also has a power purchase agreement for energy generated at MS Solar 3, a 52-megawatt solar site in Lamar County, and for the future Delta’s Edge, a 10-megawatt solar site in Carroll County slated for commercial operation in 2022.
Patterson explained that the solar panels located at Yazoo Valley Electric's headquarters are one of the nine small sites constructed around the state to help determine the best locations, technology and proper configurations for future solar facilities.
He said that large solar power operations take up a lot of space. The 52-megawatt site in Lamar County occupies 540 acres and contains over 200,000 solar panels.
Patterson was asked to speak on this topic by fellow Rotarian John Deal.
