Carrizo Energy Solar Farm Explained
The Carrizo Energy Solar Farm was a proposed 177 megawatt (MW) solar thermal power plant, to be built by Ausra in California's Carrizo Plain, near Simmler. The location gets less sun than the Mojave Desert, where several other solar thermal plants are under consideration, but is near an existing transmission line from Diablo Canyon Power Plant, reducing the cost and time needed to construct the plant.[1]
The $550 million[2] power plant would have provided enough power for 60,000 homes, and Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) entered into a contract to buy all the power from the power plant. Ausra claimed its technology can deliver power at 10.4 cents per kilowatt-hour (¢/kW·h).[3] Ausra planned to have the plant generating power by 2010, using Ausra's Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector (CLFR) solar technology.[4] [5]
In November 2009, Ausra announced that it had sold its options to the of land to First Solar and canceled its contract with PG&E. First Solar will use some of the land for its Topaz Solar Farm.[6] [7] [8]
External links
Notes and References
- News: Solar Startup Ausra Inks $1B Deal With PG&E . Kilcrease . April . 2007-11-05 . . 2008-08-19 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080513065956/http://www.redherring.com/Home/23116 . 2008-05-13 .
- Web site: Ausra's day in the sun: Palo Alto solar start-up opens plant near Bakersfield . Nauman . Matt . October 23, 2008 . . 2008-10-24 .
- Web site: Ausra's First U.S. Solar-Thermal Plant Lights Up . St. John . Jeff . October 23, 2008 . Greentech Media . 2008-10-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081025213630/http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/ausras-first-us-solar-thermal-plant-powers-up-5053.html . October 25, 2008 .
- Web site: PG&E links with Ausra for 177 megawatts of solar thermal power . Kanellos . Michael . November 5, 2007 . Cnet News . 2008-10-24 .
- Web site: Ausra to Build 177-Megawatt Solar-Thermal Plant . Kho . Jennifer . November 5, 2007 . Greentech Media . 2008-10-24 .
- News: Ausra Sells Planned Plant to First Solar . Woody . Todd . November 5, 2009 . . 2009-11-05 .
- News: Solar power company drops out of plans for Carrizo Plain in eastern San Luis Obispo County . Sneed . David . November 5, 2009 . . 2009-11-05 . https://archive.today/20130202121042/http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/story/909652.html . February 2, 2013 . dead .
- News: First Solar Buys Land Option From Ausra for Topaz Project . Wang . Ucilia . November 5, 2009 . . 2009-11-05 .
