Questa Solar Facility

The Questa Solar Facility is a 1.17 MWp (1.0 MWAC) concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) power station in Questa, New Mexico. Upon its completion in late 2010, it was one of the largest CPV facilities in the world, and the first utility-scale installation of Concentrix Solar technology in the United States.[1] Annual electricity production is expected to average about 2.1 GW·h, and is being sold to the Kit Carson Electric Cooperative under a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA).[2][3]

Questa Solar Facility
CountryUnited States
LocationQuesta, New Mexico
Coordinates36°43′01″N 105°36′34″W
StatusOperational
Commission date2010
Owner(s)Chevron Technology Ventures
Solar farm
TypeCPV
Site area20 acres (8 ha)
Power generation
Units operational173 Concentrix CX-P6
Nameplate capacity1.17 MWp, 1.0 MWAC
Capacity factor23.1% (average 2011-2018)
Annual net output2.02 GWh, 100 MW·h/acre

Facility details

The facility was built by Chevron Technology Ventures on a reclaimed site previously used for the collection and storage of molybdenum mine tailings.[2][3] It consists of 173 dual-axis-tracking CX-P6 systems, each of which supports 90 CX-75 CPV modules.[1] Each module contains 200 fresnel lens to concentrate sunlight 500 times onto multijunction photovoltaic cells.[4] These features enable higher efficiencies - about 40% for cells and 27% for modules - than other photovoltaic technologies. [5]

Each of the 173 trackers has its own grid-connected inverter, which also serves as the control system of the mechanical tracking and as the communication port with its own IP address. The inverter technology was developed by Fraunhofer ISE in cooperation with Concentrix Solar and has an efficiency of 96%. For control and monitoring, the facility also includes DNI sensors, GNI sensors and wind sensors. A detailed analysis of the system and power plant performance can be made based on data that is taken at one-minute intervals.[6]

Electricity production
Generation (MW·h) of Questa Solar Facility[7]
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
20111291351701731931561621581481571331131,827
20121691712162022322132241871882031702422,417
20131291391771691911821791751681851371311,963
201493901121082024483723653293492642152,949
20151001331561821921801711771541291191071,798
201664779698108981041301561901701421,433
201782122175188203193184172153157113991,840
2018101119154186215231201201193144119861,947
Average Annual Production for years 2011-20182,022

See also

References
  1. "Concentrix Solar Enters the US Market with Megawatt CPV Deployment at a Chevron Facility" (PDF). Soitec/Concentrix Solar. February 24, 2010. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  2. "Chevron Starts Operations of 1 MW CPV Solar Field in Northern New Mexico". Business Wire. April 19, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  3. "Case Study-New Energies: Utility-Scale Solar on a Tailing Disposal Facility - Chevron Questa Mine Superfund Site in Questa, New Mexico" (PDF). Environmental Protection Agency. July 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  4. Andreas Gombert (July 11, 2009). "Concentrix Solar's FLATCON technology" (PDF). Concentrix Solar. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  5. Gail Overton (February 1, 2010). "Optics take center stage in concentrating photovoltaic systems". Laser Focus World. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  6. Andreas Gombert and Christophe Desrumaux (May 1, 2010). "Concentrator photovoltaics: a mature technology for solar power plants". Renewable Energy World. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  7. "Questa Solar Facility, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
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