Solar Star

Solar Star
Location of Solar Star
Country United States
Location Rosamond, California
Coordinates 34°49′50″N 118°23′53″W / 34.83056°N 118.39806°W / 34.83056; -118.39806Coordinates: 34°49′50″N 118°23′53″W / 34.83056°N 118.39806°W / 34.83056; -118.39806
Status Operational
Construction began 2013
Commission date June 19, 2015
Owner(s) BHE Renewables
Solar field
Type Flat-panel PV
Site area 13 square kilometres (5.0 sq mi)
Power generation
Nameplate capacity 747.3 MWp, 597 MWAC
Annual output 1,664 GW·h
Website
us.sunpower.com

Solar Star is a 579-megawatt (MWAC) photovoltaic power station near Rosamond, California. When completed in June 2015, it was the world's largest solar farm in terms of installed capacity, using 1.7 million solar panels, made by SunPower and spread over 13 square kilometers (3,200 acres).[1][2][3]

Comparison to similar plants

Compared to other photovoltaic plants of similar size, Solar Star uses a smaller number (1.7 million) of higher efficiency arrays, mounted on single axis trackers. In contrast, the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm and the Topaz Solar Farm (550 MW each) use a larger number (roughly 9 million) of less efficient thin film CdTe photovoltaic modules on single axis trackers, rather than crystalline silicon technology, spread over a larger area (about 25 square kilometers). Both approaches appear commercially viable.[4]

There are a number of other solar photovoltaic plants nearby:

Production

Generation (MW·h) of Solar Star 1 [7]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
2014 14,332 28,753 36,448 38,215 35,596 36,759 37,188 42,315 31,070 24,669 325,345
2015 34,125 69,839 84,200 97,302 93,801 99,408 97,315 81,857 63,305 55,844 44,893 821,889
2016 39,867 39,296 32,636 84,802 91,786 523 52,262 99,009 85,110 67,456 50,141 36,270 679,158
Total 1,826,392
Generation (MW·h) of Solar Star 2 [8]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
2014 14,321 19,610 30,291 42,338 44,483 52,767 52,276 50,675 40,447 32,848 380,056
2015 40,769 50,582 68,531 77,036 87,210 83,183 87,909 85,625 72,530 55,497 49,895 39,635 798,402
2016 34,065 56,385 53,776 74,427 89,089 65,376 95,256 86,438 73,226 58,390 45,752 35,668 767,848
Total 1,946,306

References

  1. ↑ "Solar Star, Largest PV Power Plant in the World, Now Operational". GreenTechMedia.com. 24 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "The Solar Star Projects".
  3. ↑ "Solar Star I and II".
  4. ↑ Wesoff, Eric (January 14, 2015). "Desert Sunlight, Another 550MW Solar Farm From First Solar, Now Fully Operational". Greentech Media. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  5. ↑ Kessler, Richard (5 February 2013). "NRG's Alpine Solar project begins operation". ReCharge News. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  6. ↑ Gunther, Edgar A. (January 9, 2013). "NRG Alpine Solar Project Nears Completion". GUNTHER Portfolio. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  7. ↑ "Solar Star 1, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Solar Star 2, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
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