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Solar Star

Coordinates: 34°49′16″N 118°24′21″W / 34.8211°N 118.4058°W / 34.8211; -118.4058
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Solar Star
Map
CountryUnited States
LocationRosamond, California
Coordinates34°49′16″N 118°24′21″W / 34.8211°N 118.4058°W / 34.8211; -118.4058
StatusOperational
Construction began2013
Commission dateJune 19, 2015
OwnerBHE Renewables
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Power generation
Nameplate capacity747.3 MWp, 579 MWAC
External links
Websiteus.sunpower.com
[edit on Wikidata]

Solar Star is a 579-megawatt (MWAC) photovoltaic power station near Rosamond, California. Completed in June 2015, it is currently 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 higher efficiency arrays, 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 non-tracking CdTe photovoltaic modules rather than conventional crystalline silicon PV 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 (MWh) of Solar Star 1 [7]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
2014 -- -- 9,533 28,789 34,046 35,540 33,115 34,399 27,971 27,036 29,873 21,131 281,433
2015 25,964 42,453 57,444 84,200 97,302 93,801 99,408 97,315 81,857 63,305 55,844 44,893 865,191
Total 1,146,624
Generation (MWh) of Solar Star 2 [8]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
2014 2,092 19,558 24,342 24,569 23,116 26,697 35,108 29,640 22,111 15,609 222,842
2015 19,444 42,706 57,399 75,962 87,210 83,183 87,909 85,625 72,530 55,497 49,895 39,635 798,402
Total 1,021,245

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. ^ "Desert Sunlight, Another 550MW Solar Farm From First Solar, Now Fully Operational".
  5. ^ Kessler, Richard (5 February 2013). "NRG's Alpine Solar project begins operation". ReCharge News. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  6. ^ Ludikovsky, Kurt. "NRG Alpine Solar Project Nears Completion". Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  7. ^ Energy Information Administration. "Solar Star 1, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  8. ^ Energy Information Administration. "Solar Star 2, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
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