Solar Star

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, 579 MWAC
Annual net 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 large form-factor, high-wattage modules, 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 smaller form-factor, lower wattage thin film CdTe photovoltaic modules on fixed-tilt arrays, 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]
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2014 14,33228,75336,44838,21535,59636,75937,18842,31531,07024,669 325,345
2015 34,12569,83984,20097,30293,80199,40897,31581,85763,30555,84444,893 821,889
2016 39,86739,29632,63684,80291,78652352,26299,00985,11067,45650,14136,270 679,158
Total1,826,392
Generation (MW·h) of Solar Star 2 [8]
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2014 14,32119,61030,29142,33844,48352,76752,27650,67540,44732,848 380,056
2015 40,76950,58268,53177,03687,21083,18387,90985,62572,53055,49749,89539,635 798,402
2016 34,06556,38553,77674,42789,08965,37695,25686,43873,22658,39045,75235,668 767,848
Total1,946,306

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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