Topaz Solar Farm
Topaz Solar Farm | |
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![]() Topaz Solar Farm solar panels | |
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Country | United States |
Location | Carrizo Plain,San Luis Obispo County,California |
Coordinates | 35°23′00″N120°04′00″W/ 35.38333°N 120.06667°W |
Status | Operational |
Construction began | 2011 |
Commission date | 2014 |
Construction cost | $2.4 billion[1] |
Owner(s) | Berkshire Hathaway Energy |
Solar farm | |
Type | Flat-panel PV |
Site area | 4,700 acres (1,900 ha) |
Power generation | |
Nameplate capacity | 550MWAC |
Capacity factor | 26.6%(average 2015–2018) |
Annual net output | 1,282GW·h,272 MW·h/acre |
External links | |
Website | Topaz Solar Farm |
Commons | Related media on Commons |
Topaz Solar Farmis a 550megawatt(MWAC)photovoltaic power stationinSan Luis Obispo County,California,United States.Construction on the project began in November 2011 and ended in November 2014. It is one of theworld's largest solar farms.The $2.5 billion project includes 9 millionCdTe photovoltaic modulesbased onthin-film technology,manufactured by U.S. companyFirst Solar.The company also built, operates and maintains the project for MidAmerican Renewables, aBerkshire Hathawaycompany.Pacific Gas and Electricwill buy the electricity under a 25-yearpower purchase agreement.According to First Solar, it created about 400 construction jobs.[2]
History[edit]
OptiSolar, the instigator of the project, had optioned 9.5 square miles (25 km2) of ranchland,[3] In November 2009, First Solar announced that it had purchased options to an additional 640 acres (260 ha) fromAusra'scanceledCarrizo Energy Solar Farm.First Solar would reconfigure the project to minimize the use of land covered by theWilliamson Act.[4][5][6]
The project uses nine million[7]thin-filmcadmium telluride PV panelsdesigned and manufactured by First Solar. The plant's power would be generated during the middle of the day, when demand for electricity — and price — is much higher than at night. The project was expected to begin construction in 2011 and be fully operational by 2014. California utilities are mandated to get 33% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020[needs update].
On August 14, 2008,Pacific Gas and Electric Companyannounced agreements to buy the power from Topaz Solar Farm andHigh Plains Ranch.[8][9] In late October 2010 the San Luis Obispo Department Planning and Building released a Draft Environmental Impact report.
In June 2011, theU.S. Department of Energyoffered First Solar a $1.9 billionloan guaranteeto cover part of the financing for the project. The First Solar project was not able to close its conditional loan guarantee with the Department of Energy prior to the September 30 deadline, but it has gone ahead anyway.[2]
On May 18, 2012, First Solar announced the installation of the first PV panel.[10]On October 24, 2012, First Solar announced the installation of the millionth panel.[11]The plant began providing energy to the grid in February 2013.[12] The five-millionth panel was installed in October 2013.[13]
On January 10, 2019, withPacific Gas and Electric Companyfacing billions of dollars in wildfire liabilities,S&P GlobalRatings cut the credit rating ofBerkshire HathawayEnergy's 550-megawatt Topaz Solar Farms to junk, noting that the plant counts on PG&E for all of its revenue.[14]
Electricity production[edit]
year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | annual |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | – | 239 | 24,499 | 18,660 | 31,026 | 40,465 | 47,772 | 58,441 | 53,196 | 47,407 | 39,423 | 40,180 | 401,308 |
2014 | 50,883 | 51,063 | 77,789 | 90,451 | 99,511 | 110,227 | 114,932 | 124,320 | 119,978 | 113,417 | 92,644 | 60,642 | 1,105,857 |
2015 | 89,663 | 92,944 | 108,663 | 114,979 | 103,163 | 123,704 | 130,249 | 133,000 | 120,634 | 111,211 | 93,907 | 79,220 | 1,301,337 |
2016 | 65,211 | 101,749 | 108,033 | 106,132 | 124,972 | 134,559 | 138,059 | 130,844 | 111,319 | 99,693 | 88,536 | 56,698 | 1,265,760 |
2017 | 57,880 | 42,375 | 95,639 | 108,198 | 128,816 | 132,016 | 129,836 | 121,997 | 122,106 | 117,862 | 90,225 | 90,582 | 1,237,532 |
2018 | 80,851 | 101,373 | 93,826 | 125,445 | 136,903 | 136,248 | 131,293 | 131,442 | 121,581 | 118,207 | 83,610 | 74,940 | 1,335,727 |
2019 | 75,557 | 70,097 | 97,868 | 117,138 | 110,050 | 132,501 | 135,100 | 132,926 | 122,489 | 116,268 | 83,008 | 62,720 | 1,255,722 |
2020 | 80,884 | 105,601 | 89,272 | 111,342 | 131,391 | 129,173 | 132,908 | 121,838 | 105,433 | 99,910 | 93,138 | 81,826 | 1,282,716 |
2021 | 80,602 | 102,438 | 113,865 | 129,378 | 125,496 | 129,930 | 125,876 | 126,904 | 113,280 | 104,030 | 90,423 | 58,566 | 1,300,788 |
2022 | 82,528 | 85,869 | 99,289 | 109,589 | 120,298 | 119,141 | 117,439 | 122,679 | 108,528 | 108,197 | 85,998 | 61,855 | 1,221,410 |
2023 | 53,303 | 68,355 | 56,145 | 92,581 | 102,331 | 100,762 | 110,169 | 108,215 | 103,260 | 98,178 | 77,965 | 65,510 | 1,036,774 |
Average Annual Production (years 2015-2019) ---> | 1,279,216 |
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Topaz_Solar_Farm%2C_California_Valley.jpg/350px-Topaz_Solar_Farm%2C_California_Valley.jpg)
Gallery[edit]
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Construction in 2012
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Solar panelsat Topaz Solar 1
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Solar Panels at Topaz Solar 7
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Post Crew installing last post on Aug 15, 2014. Post Number 850,280
See also[edit]
- California Valley Solar Ranch
- Carrizo Energy Solar Farm
- Desert Sunlight Solar Farm
- Solar power in California
References[edit]
- ^"$1 Billion Bond Offering Completed for World's Largest Solar Project".28 June 2013.
- ^abSteve Leone (7 December 2011)."Billionaire Buffett Bets on Solar Energy".Renewable Energy World.
- ^Sneed, David (2008-08-14)."Calif. utility agrees to buy solar power from two proposed plants".The Tribune.Archived fromthe originalon 2008-08-15.Retrieved2008-08-15.
- ^Woody, Todd (November 5, 2009)."Ausra Sells Planned Plant to First Solar".The New York Times.Retrieved2009-11-05.
- ^ Sneed, David (November 5, 2009)."Solar power company drops out of plans for Carrizo Plain in eastern San Luis Obispo County".The Tribune.Archived fromthe originalon February 2, 2013.Retrieved2009-11-05.
- ^ Wang, Ucilia (November 5, 2009)."First Solar Buys Land Option From Ausra for Topaz Project".Greentech Media.Retrieved2009-11-05.
- ^"Topaz Solar Farm".First Solar.RetrievedJune 25,2015.
- ^ "PG&E Signs Historic 800 MW Photovoltaic Solar Power Agreements With Optisolar and Sunpower"(Press release).Pacific Gas and Electric.2008-08-14. Archived fromthe originalon 2008-10-04.Retrieved2008-08-15.
- ^ Sneed, David (2008-08-14)."Calif. utility agrees to buy solar power from two proposed plants".McClatchy Newspapers.Retrieved2011-04-30.
- ^"Pirst Photovoltaic Solar Panel Installed on Largest Solar Project in the World"(Press release).First Solar.2012-05-18.Retrieved2012-05-20.
- ^"One Millionth Photovoltaic Solar Module Installed at MidAmerican Solar's Topaz Project by First Solar"(PDF)(Press release).First Solar.October 24, 2012.Retrieved2013-07-22.
- ^abEnergy Information Administration."Topaz Solar Farm, monthly".Electricity Data Browser.RetrievedMarch 5,2019.
- ^Five Millionth Photovoltaic Solar Module Installed on 550-Megawatt Topaz Solar Farms[dead link],Business Wire, 10/09/2013
- ^"PG&E Said to Plan Bankruptcy Notice to Workers as Soon as Monday"(Press release).Bloomburg.2019-01-12.Retrieved2019-01-12.
External links[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- "Final Environmental Impact Report, Volume I (March 2011) [Microsoft Word]".Planning & Building, Environmental Information and Natural Resources.San Luis Obispo County.Retrieved2022-01-09.
- "Topaz Solar Farm (550 MW), California".SolarSena.Retrieved2022-01-09.