Agua Caliente Solar Project

The Agua Caliente Solar Project is a 290 megawatt (MWAC) photovoltaic power station, built in Yuma County, Arizona using 5.2 million cadmium telluride modules made by the U.S. thin-film manufacturer First Solar. It was the largest solar facility in the world when the project was commissioned in April 2014.[1][2]

History

39 MW was online as of December 2011 and 100 MW was completed as of April 2012.[3][4] 200 MW was completed as of July 2012,[5] and 247 MW in August 2012, when the 10th section was completed.[6] The addition of more panels has halted until 2013, with crates of panels covered to protect them.[7] Full power was achieved ahead of schedule in September 2013.[8]

Project overview

In August 2011, the Department of Energy finalized a $967 million loan guarantee for the project. The project sponsor, NRG Solar, estimated the photovoltaic generation facility would fund approximately 400 construction jobs and 16 full-time operating jobs, and would become one of the largest plants of its kind in the world when completed.[9] The power produced is being sold to PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric) in California in a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement.[10][11]

The Series 3 thin film panels use CdS/CdTe,[12] and are rated from 77 watts to 82.5 watts each,[13] and are mounted at a fixed tilt angle. 20,940 are connected in each array, rated at 1.26 MWAC. 400 SMA 720CP inverters were initially foreseen, but in the end 500 SMA 630CP are used.[14] Installed modules total power is 410 megawatt-peak (MWDC).[15]

Award

In February 2012, Agua Caliente competed in the Excellence in Renewable Energy Awards and won the Project of the Year Award.[11]

Electricity production

Agua Caliente Solar Project's production is as follows, averaging 727 GW·h annual, yielding about 300 MW·h/acre.[8]

The Loan Programs Office projected annual generation, calculated using the project's and NREL Technology specific capacity factors, was of 559 GW·h.[16] Sector estimates predicted an average production of about 626 GW·h each year. [17]

See also

• Arizona Solar Center
• Solar power in Arizona

External links

• Project Datasheet