A 550 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant has started operations in California Valley, in the USA.
This solar farm is the largest of its kind in the world. It became fully operational in late October and is the second large-scale solar farm to be commissioned on the Carrizo Plain.
The ground-mounted PV facility consists of 9 million thin film solar modules installed across 1400 hectares of non-prime agricultural land in San Luis Obispo County. It was built by First Solar for Mid American Solar and will supply electricity to Pacific Gas & Electricity under a 25-year power purchase agreement.
The facility will contribute towards California’s goal of producing 33 % of its electricity needs from renewable resources by 2020. Construction will be completed in early 2015.
