The World's Largest Solar Plant Is Now Fully Operational in California

[eridani]

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/312-16/27162-the-worlds-largest-solar-plant-is-now-fully-operational-in-california

Late last month, the Topaz Solar project achieved full commercial operation with the completion of its final 40-megawatt (AC) phase. This is the first 500-megawatt plus solar farm to come on-line in the U.S. and the largest solar plant on-line in the world.

Two years ago, the millionth First Solar (FSLR) solar module was installed at the power plant owned by MidAmerican Solar. As of today, the project has installed 9 million solar panels across 9.5 square miles in San Luis Obispo County on California's Carrizo Plain. Construction began in 2012 and was expected to be complete in early 2015 -- so call this an on-time delivery.

The solar farm was not the recipient of a loan guarantee and is built on "disturbed farm land" miles away from sensitive areas in the Carrizo Plain National Monument. First Solar suggests that the project will create $192 million in pay for approximately 400 construction positions over the three-year build and "$52 million in economic output for local suppliers." PG&E will purchase the electricity from the Topaz project under a power-purchase agreement.

[grahamhgreen]

1. Love it!

[RiverLover]

2. Great news!! ~nt

[OffWithTheirHeads]

3. You had me right up until PG&E. Slimy greedy motherfuckers.

[dreamnightwind]

4. What's wrong with selling it to PG&E?

I fully agree ith your opinion of PG&E, however, don't they own the power distribution infrastructure? How else would this get out to homes or businesses that can use the electricity? It's pretty much the same as homes that produce an excess of solar power can sell it back to PG&E, unless I'm missing something here.