First Solar Breaks Ground On 150 MW California Solar Farm

September 22nd, 2013 by Zachary Shahan

First Solar has now officially begun work on the 150 megawatt (MW) AC Solar Gen 2 project in Imperial Valley, California.

At the height of construction, First Solar notes that 800 people will be employed by the company. Additionally, the large solar farm will “generate about $150,000 in property taxes annually and $4.6 million under the Public Benefits Agreement.” Clearly, that’s all a good boost for local economies.

Furthermore, this clean energy project will cut local and global pollution. “Under a 25-year power purchase agreement between SDG&E and First Solar, the 150 MW project will generate enough clean energy to power more than 60,000 average California homes, displacing more than 115,000 metric tons of CO₂ per year (the equivalent of taking 22,000 cars off the road) and saving 93,000 metric tons of water per year.”

First Solar just purchased the project in April of this year. The project will use a tracking system and is expected to be completed in July 2014.

First Solar is no stranger to large-scale solar projects. It is the #1 utility-scale solar developer in the world in terms of capacity (by far). It is also a top solar module producer, the only thin-film solar module producer in the top 10. In this particular region, “First Solar also developed and is constructing the 139 MW Campo Verde Project in El Centro, which is expected to be complete by the end of October,” First Solar adds. “Additionally, the company is completing construction of the 130 MW Tenaska Imperial Solar Energy Center South project in Calexico for project owner and developer Tenaska.”

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Tags: First Solar, First Solar California, first solar imperial valley, First Solar Solar Gen 2, Imperial Valley, Imperial Valley solar power plant, Solar Gen 2, Solar Gen 2 Imperial Valley

About the Author

Zachary Shahan spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he's probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.

Doug

Adding these solar plants in So Cal will help tremendously with supplying peak power energy – reducing the risk of brown outs.
Kyle Field

Exciting news The more solar in california, the better. I am curious what, if any impact installing solar at the scale that we are (several GWs) in the california high desert will have on the avg temp
- Bob_Wallace
  
  Nothing measurable. Parking your car in the desert or pitching a tent would have some effect, but we’re talking about an immense area and changing albedo on only a very tiny percentage.
  - Corbin Holland
    
    hey bob you should let these people over at the wall street journal know some facts about renewable energy instead of the myths
    
    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324432404579052900100464562.html?mod=WSJ_article_comments#articleTabs%3Dcomments
    - Bob_Wallace
      
      The WSJ is a lost cause. It’s now Fox Business.
      - Ivor O’Connor
        
        You might want to look at that wsj article Bob. It reads almost as if you wrote it yourself.
      - Bob_Wallace
        
        I took a look. It’s not bad. There are a few points that aren’t well done.