Intel said new contracts are in place to incorporate approximately 2.5 megawatts worth of new solar power projects as it moves to develop renewable energy sources.

The new installations will go up in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Oregon, the company said.

Intel is committed to renewable energy to reduce our own carbon footprint as well as to spur the market and make renewables more economically feasible for individuals and businesses to deploy, said Brian Krzanich, vice president and general manager of Manufacturing and Supply Chain for Intel.

The new installations are planned to be completed over the next 7 months, and will be installed on the roofs of Intel's facilities with the major exception of the largest installation, in Folsom, Calif.

The Folsom installation will span nearly six acres of land on campus, which would make it one of the largest non-utility ground-mounts in California at the time of this release. It is expected to generate 1-megawatt.

In addition, Intel said it has renewed and increased its purchase for renewable energy credits (REC) to more than 1.43 billion kilowatt hours -- more than 51 percent of its estimated 2010 U.S. electricity use.

This corresponds to the carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity use of nearly 134,000 average American homes or nearly 200,000 passenger cars removed from the streets for 1 year.

These announcements represent our broader commitment which includes diversifying our energy portfolio through solar and other clean energy investments, and this will continue to be a priority for us around the globe, Krzanish said.

In total, Intel Capital has invested more than $125 million in more than a dozen cleantech companies that span four continents; four in solar photovoltaics, further demonstrating Intel's commitment to accelerating innovation in this space.

Renewable energy Intel California Solar