① Large-scale solar power plant
SolarCraft built the largest 1.1MW farm solar system at the Paramount Farm in LosHills, California, in early June 2007 (Figure 1). The system uses thin-film photovoltaic (PV) panels and covers an area of 8acre. It is one of the largest single-site solar systems in the United States. The solar system allows Paramount farms to obtain clean electricity, which can provide electricity to 300 households a day. Figure 2 shows an example of installed solar photovoltaic panels.
San Francisco Cleantech announced in mid-July 2007 that it will build an 80MW solar farm covering an area of 640acre (260hm2) near Fresno, California, which will be 17 times the largest solar farm in the United States and is scheduled to be completed in 2011. The solar farm will also be 7 times the size of the world’s largest solar farm (in Germany) and 7 times the size of the planned solar farm (in Germany). The development plan is 10MW in 2009, 30MW in 2010, and 40MW in 2011, for a total of 80MW.
Epuron, a subsidiary of Conergy, signed a contract with Exelon Power Generation Company in early September 2007 to build a 3MW solar power station in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, USA. The 3MW solar power station will be equipped with 17,000 solar panels, covering an area of 16.5acre, located in Falls Township, Bucks County. It can generate 3.7X106kW.h per year and was completed and put into use in the second quarter of 2008.
SunEdison announced on December 19, 2007 that it will build an 8.22MW solar photovoltaic facility in Alamosa, Colorado, USA. This will be the largest solar photovoltaic power plant in the United States. The solar photovoltaic facility uses three types of solar technologies: single-axis tracking matrix, fixed arrangement matrix, and dual-axis tracking matrix with photovoltaic collector technology. The facility will combine 12 Xantrex Grid Tie (GT) 500kW converters and 288Xantrex single-phase GT3.8kW converters.
The Alamosa solar photovoltaic facility occupies an area of about 80acre. It is adjacent to the substations in Alamosa and San Luis Valley, Colorado. It will generate about 17,000MW.h of electricity a year, which can supply clean electricity to 1,500 homes. The Alamosa solar photovoltaic facility produces clean electricity equivalent to the CO2 emissions of 7.65X108mi of car driving in more than 20 years.
SunPower announced on July 11, 2008 that it will build one of the largest solar photovoltaic power generation facilities in the United States for the Florida Power and Lighting Company (FPL) and the second photovoltaic power generation facility at the Kennedy Space Center. These facilities will include a 25MW photovoltaic power generation facility in DeSoto County, Florida, and a 10MW project at the Kennedy Space Center. The DeSoto photovoltaic power generation facility was completed in 2009, and the Kennedy Space Center photovoltaic power generation facility was completed in 2010.
GA-Solar Corporation announced on January 30, 2010, to build one of the world’s largest photovoltaic solar power generation facilities in Guadalupe County, Arizona, USA. GA Solar’s project will be located in Guadalupe County, covering an area of 2500acre, and will develop a large-scale solar array. Once completed, the installation capacity has the potential to reach 300MW. It is estimated that the annual power generation will be used by 50,000 households.
②Establish solar state and solar city
Listed as US solar cities in 2007 are AnnArbor, Michigan, AnnArbor, Texas, Berkeley, California, Boston, Massachusetts, Madison, Wisconsin, New Orleans, Louisiana, New York, New York, Pennylrania, Pennsylvania, Portland, Oregon, Salt Lake City, Utah, SanDiego, California, San Francisco, California, and Tucson, Arizona.
Governor announced in March 2008 that it had invested millions of dollars in renewable energy projects. Its solar power generation facility in Bucks County, Arizona has been put into use. This is the fourth largest solar power generation facility built in the United States. The Exelon-EPURON Solar Energy Center with an investment of USD 20 million has set up 16,500 solar panels, covering an area of 16.5acre. The solar power generation facility generates about 3700MW·h annually, enough to supply about 400 households, and the emission reduction effect is equivalent to the emissions of more than 440 cars per year.
The US SAS Corporation, Carolina Progress Energy Corporation and SunPower Corporation announced at the end of June 2008 that they would build a 1MW solar farm in Cary, North Carolina. The 1MW photovoltaic solar power matrix uses SunPower’s Tracker solar tracking system, which can capture up to 25% more solar energy compared with a fixed system. The solar power plant can generate 1.7X106kWh per year, which is equivalent to reducing CO2 emissions by more than 1600t per year. First Solar announced on July 28, 2008 that it would build a 10MW photovoltaic power generation facility for Sempra Generation near Boulder, Nevada, USA. First Solar is responsible for the design, engineering and construction of the photovoltaic power generation facility, and provides maintenance services. The 10MW photovoltaic power generation facility was completed at the end of 2008.
In accordance with the California Solar Energy Startup Plan (CSI), the Melrose Law Center in the United States completed the largest solar system for Vista in California at the end of August 2008, marking a green milestone. The Melrose Law Center chose a 110kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system designed and installed by SPC Solar, which was installed on three buildings in the center. Expected to have a lifespan of 30 years, the electricity generated by the PV system of the Melrose Law Center is equivalent to about 3960 tons of CO2 emissions, or the emissions of 720 cars on the road.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities announced the development of 5MW solar power generation facilities in the state on October 7, 2008. According to the state’s new green community law, public systems are required to develop up to 50MW solar power generation facilities by 2010.
Bella Energy announced on November 20, 2008 the installation of a 10kW solar power system in the Colorado State Capitol (Figure 4). This energy-saving measure enables the state’s operation to reduce its environmental impact, and the state’s goal is to reduce energy use by 20% by 2012. The 10kW solar power generation system generates nearly 1.3X104kW·h of electricity each year, which is enough to power two families throughout the year.
The 1.2MW LoOla solar photovoltaic power plant developed by Castle & Cooke Hawaii and SunPowe in the southern part of Lanai Island in LaOla, Hawaii, was put into use on January 7, 2009. It occupies an area of 1 oare, and the electricity generated can be as high as the peak power demand of the island. 30%. The system uses SunPower eye trackers, which can generate about 3×106kW·h per year. The power is purchased by Maui Power Company and transmitted to Lana’i households through the Maui Power Company grid, which will help realize Hawaii Energy independence.
Kitson & Partners signed a contract with Florida Electric Lighting Company (FPL) on April 13, 2009 to build a 75MW solar photovoltaic power generation facility in BabcockRanch, Florida. This makes BabcockRanch the world’s first large solar power city. Both parties This construction project will create jobs for 20,000 people in the city. BabcockRanch, which covers an area of 1. 7X 104 acre, also integrates households into an integrated smart grid. The integrated smart grid can provide higher efficiency and allow users to monitor their energy consumption. All buildings and homes in the city will be built in accordance with Florida Green Building Council standards and certified in accordance with energy efficiency standards. The Florida solar photovoltaic power generation facility was completed in the second half of 2009, the city center was completed in mid-2010, and the first batch of residential and commercial buildings were completed in the second half of 2010.
CPV Renewable Energy Company (CPVREC) announced on December 3, 2009 that it plans to build a 10MW large-scale solar farm at the CPVSt. Charles Energy Center in Southern Maryland, which will become the 9100acre “Model Green City in Charles County” “Part of the plan. The facility named CPVPineyReach solar farm will be put into use in 2012, and the project will be the largest photovoltaic solar farm in the state. The project will also contribute to Maryland’s achievement of renewable energy utilization standards by 2022 and the setting of a 1500MW solar power target.
SunEdison and Xcel Energy announced on December 31, 2009, the development of a 55MW solar photovoltaic project in New Mexico, the United States. Five 10MW bases will be installed on the ground for public use. The system is expected to be put into operation at the end of 2011. The project will also enable Xcel Energy to help New Mexico implement the renewable energy use standard, which requires 15% of public electricity to come from renewable energy by 2015 and 20% by 2020.
SunEdison announced on February 9, 2010 that the first phase of the 16MW solar power plant in Davidson County, North Carolina, USA has started. 6X106kW·h. Duke Energy will acquire all power under a 20-year contract. Within 20 years, the solar farm will generate 1.15X108kW·h of electricity, enough to power 10,000 households. It is also equivalent to reducing the carbon dioxide produced by conventional coal-fired power plants by 2. 25X 108lb.
The state’s capital, located in southern Indiana, USA, built the state’s largest rooftop solar array on February 14, 2010. The power generated by the 100kW system can be used for 25-40 households. The new solar system is expected to save about 10,000 US dollars in electricity bills every year. The system uses thin film technology.