California Valley Solar Ranch
Encyclopedia
The California Valley Solar Ranch (CVSR) is a 250 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic power plant, which is being built by SunPower
in the Carrizo Plain
, northeast of California Valley
. Construction on the project began in September 2011, with approximately 350 jobs expected to be created in San Luis Obispo County over the two-year construction period. Once completed, "the California Valley Solar Ranch will power about 100,000 homes and will be one of the largest photovoltaic (PV) solar power plants in the world".
The project will utilize 1966 acres (795.6 ha) of a 4365 acres (1,766.5 ha) site of former grazing land for solar power generation, the project will utilize high-efficiency, crystalline PV panels designed and manufactured by SunPower, formerly a subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor
. The project will include up to 88,000 solar tracking devices to hold PV panels that will track the sun across the sky. The project will deliver approximately 550 gigawatt-hours (GW·h) annually of renewable energy
and will have a capacity of 250 MW. While the plant would only have a capacity factor
of 25%, its power will be generated during the middle of the day, when demand for electricity — and price — is much higher than at night.
On August 14, 2008, Pacific Gas and Electric announced an agreement to buy all the power from the power plant.
A Conditional Use Permit application for the project was filed with the County of San Luis Obispo Planning and Building Department on January 14, 2009.
On November 30, 2010, NRG Energy
announced that it would buy CVSR from SunPower for "up to $450 million".
In September 2011, the Department of Energy
(DOE) offered NRG Solar a $1.237 billion loan from the federal government to cover most of the construction cost.
The total cost of the project is estimated to be $1.6 billion.
The Carrizo Plain is home to 13 species listed as endangered either by the state or federal government, including the San Joaquin Kit Fox, Giant Kangaroo Rat
, and the California Condor
. SunPower has been working with the community to protect local wildlife habitat and migration patterns, and reduce the amount of traffic in the area during construction. The company recently announced a plan to create a reserve for Giant Kangaroo Rat in order to address concerns about habitat destruction.
The project began construction in 2011, and will be fully operational by 2013. California utilities are mandated to get 33% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020.
SunPower
SunPower Corporation designs and manufactures high-efficiency crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, roof tiles and solar panels based on a silicon all-back-contact solar cell invented at Stanford University. SunPower Corporation is publicly traded on the NASDAQ as SPWRA and SPWRB...
in the Carrizo Plain
Carrizo Plain
The Carrizo Plain is a large enclosed plain, approximately 50 miles long and up to 15 miles across, in southeastern San Luis Obispo County, California, about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles, California...
, northeast of California Valley
California Valley, California
California Valley is an unincorporated community located in the eastern part of San Luis Obispo County, California, in the northern portion of the Carrizo Plain.Located...
. Construction on the project began in September 2011, with approximately 350 jobs expected to be created in San Luis Obispo County over the two-year construction period. Once completed, "the California Valley Solar Ranch will power about 100,000 homes and will be one of the largest photovoltaic (PV) solar power plants in the world".
The project will utilize 1966 acres (795.6 ha) of a 4365 acres (1,766.5 ha) site of former grazing land for solar power generation, the project will utilize high-efficiency, crystalline PV panels designed and manufactured by SunPower, formerly a subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor
Cypress Semiconductor
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation is a Silicon Valley-based semiconductor design and manufacturing company founded by T. J. Rodgers and others from Advanced Micro Devices. It was formed in 1982 with backing by Sevin Rosen and went public in 1986. The company initially focused on the design and...
. The project will include up to 88,000 solar tracking devices to hold PV panels that will track the sun across the sky. The project will deliver approximately 550 gigawatt-hours (GW·h) annually of renewable energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
and will have a capacity of 250 MW. While the plant would only have a capacity factor
Capacity factor
The net capacity factor or load factor of a power plant is the ratio of the actual output of a power plant over a period of time and its potential output if it had operated at full nameplate capacity the entire time...
of 25%, its power will be generated during the middle of the day, when demand for electricity — and price — is much higher than at night.
On August 14, 2008, Pacific Gas and Electric announced an agreement to buy all the power from the power plant.
A Conditional Use Permit application for the project was filed with the County of San Luis Obispo Planning and Building Department on January 14, 2009.
On November 30, 2010, NRG Energy
NRG Energy
NRG Energy, Inc. is an American energy company headquartered in West Windsor Township, New Jersey, near Princeton.-Electrical Power Generation Operations:...
announced that it would buy CVSR from SunPower for "up to $450 million".
In September 2011, the Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
(DOE) offered NRG Solar a $1.237 billion loan from the federal government to cover most of the construction cost.
The total cost of the project is estimated to be $1.6 billion.
The Carrizo Plain is home to 13 species listed as endangered either by the state or federal government, including the San Joaquin Kit Fox, Giant Kangaroo Rat
Giant Kangaroo Rat
The Giant Kangaroo Rat, Dipodomys ingens, is an endangered rodent species endemic to California.-Description:Dipodomys ingens, the Giant Kangaroo Rat, is one of over 20 species of kangaroo rats, which are small members of the rodent family...
, and the California Condor
California Condor
The California Condor is a New World vulture, the largest North American land bird. Currently, this condor inhabits only the Grand Canyon area, Zion National Park, and coastal mountains of central and southern California and northern Baja California...
. SunPower has been working with the community to protect local wildlife habitat and migration patterns, and reduce the amount of traffic in the area during construction. The company recently announced a plan to create a reserve for Giant Kangaroo Rat in order to address concerns about habitat destruction.
The project began construction in 2011, and will be fully operational by 2013. California utilities are mandated to get 33% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020.
External links
- California Valley Solar Ranch (official website) Retrieved 2010-08-26.