With California’s 2010 deadline for state utilities to meet 20 percent of electricity demands fast approaching, and the 2016 goal of 125 megawatts’ worth of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations not far behind, one utility is working to see that its obligations are met.

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), in conjunction with the solar development company Solar Power Inc. and Aerojet, an aerospace and defense firm, yesterday announced the completion of a 2.4-megawatt (MW) solar energy system at Aerojet’s facility in Sacramento, California. The installation is an expansion of the current 3.6-MW system that was installed at the facility in June 2009. With the solar installation now at six MWs, California’s capital is home to the biggest single-site industrial solar electric generating facility in the state.

The ground-mounted system utilizes 29,000 of Solar Power Inc.’s SPI 205-watt solar modules, which are joined with 22 tracking devices that follow the sun’s course to boost system efficiency.

Back in November 2009, when plans for the 2.4-MW expansion were finalized, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger offered his support, noting the project’s positive impact on jobs, the state economy and the environment:

The addition of this large-scale project is further evidence that reliable, renewable and pollution-free technology is here to stay. And this project is great news for California because it will help us meet our ambitious renewable energy and environmental goals, lead to more homes and businesses powered by sunshine and create new jobs in the clean-tech industry.

This SMUD solar expansion will go a long way in supporting California’s renewable energy and solar energy goals. During its first year, the installation will offset just over 6,000 tons of carbon dioxide, nearly 24 tons of sulfur dioxide and roughly nine tons of nitrogen oxide. According the press release, that is equivalent to taking 1,075 combustion engines from California’s roads or planting exactly 1,396,423 trees.

As of today, SMUD is the only major utility in California that is on pace to meet the state’s 2020 renewable energy goal of 33 percent.