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21-Megawatt Solar Power
Panels Plant Opens in California
California-based
solar panel producer
First Solar has opened a 21-megawatt power plant in Blythe, making it the
largest photovoltaic solar power panels plant in the
country. Utilizing thin film solar cells made out of cadmium telluride, the
plant will be able to generate power for about 17,000 southern California
homes.
A project that took only three months to construct, the Blythe solar plant
is already set to be replicated across the state. In order to spur
California to meet its greenhouse gas reduction goals that were put in place
by Governor Schwarzenegger, Southern California Edison, a local power
company, has agreed to purchase solar power panels from First Solar's Blythe
plant for 20 years.
The
thin cell
technology used by First Solar to produce its panels is the most cost
effective in the industry. The technology is so reliable and effective that
First Solar has been able to sign deals with municipalities around the world
to build utility-scale energy plants. Though not as efficient as
silicon-based solar panels, the cadmium telluride cells are much more cost
effective and seem to hold the most potential for large-scale use.
The company has also increased its megawatt production over 600 percent
between 2007 and 2008, representing a positive trend towards increased use
of solar power panels generation at the utility-scale level. The company has
been dubbed the "Google" of solar energy production because it has pioneered
utility-scale solar energy production and has continued to see steady growth
despite economic turmoil.
Plans are already in the works to build several more southern California
power stations, one with 250 megawatt capacity and another other with 300. A
48-megawatt plant in Nevada was also recently approved. First Solar has also
signed an agreement with a city in China to build a massive 2,000 megawatt
facility. Half of it is set to be completed and operating by 2014,
generating 1,000 megawatts of clean, solar power panels to its residents.
As far as California is concerned, the state plans to convert at least 33
percent of its production to renewable energy by 2020. Although
solar power panels have been around for years, the cost of
production was typically very high and efficiency was very low, making them
a largely ineffective power source. Companies like First Solar are helping
to make renewable energy production more viable through advanced solar
technology.
Other renewable energy sources being pursued include
wind power
and agricultural biomass production.
Resouce:
http://www.naturalnews.com
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