Copper Mountain Solar Facility Explained

Copper Mountain Solar Facility
Coordinates:35.7833°N -114.9917°W
Country:United States
Location:Boulder City, Nevada
Status:O
Construction Began:January 2010
Commissioned:Dec 2008 - Mar 2021
Owner:Sempra Generation
Solar Type:PV
Ps Units Operational:9 million First Solar panels
Ps Site Area:4000acres
Ps Electrical Capacity:802 MWAC
Ps Electrical Cap Fac:27.9% (average 2017-2019)
Ps Annual Generation:1,348 GW·h, 337 MW·h/acre

The Copper Mountain Solar Facility is a 802 megawatt (MWAC) solar photovoltaic power plant in Boulder City, Nevada, United States. The plant was developed by Sempra Generation. When the first unit of the facility entered service on December 1, 2010, it was the largest photovoltaic plant in the U.S. at 58 MW.[1] [2] With the opening of Copper Mountain V in March 2021, it again became the largest in the United States. It is co-located with the 64 MW Nevada Solar One, 150 MW Boulder Solar, and 300 MW Techren Solar projects in the Eldorado Valley, thus forming a more than 1 gigawatt (GW) solar generating complex. By comparison, generating capacity at the nearby Hoover Dam is about 2 GW.

History

First unit

Sempra Generation completed the 10 MW demonstration plant named El Dorado Solar near the existing El Dorado natural gas-fired power station and the Nevada Solar One concentrated solar power plant in December 2008.[3] It was the company's first venture into utility-scale solar generation. A 48 MW second phase named Copper Mountain was constructed from January to December 2010 at a cost of about $141 million.[1] [4] At its construction peak more than 350 workers were installing the 775,000 First Solar panels on the 450acres site.[5] [2] [6] The power from the original 10 MW plant is sold to Pacific Gas & Electric under a separate 20-year power purchase agreement.[7] [8]

Second unit

Based on its successes with the first unit, a second 150 MW unit was approved adjacent to the site in late 2010 and a construction plan announced On August 4, 2011.[1] [9] The first 92 MW phase came online in January 2013, and the 58 MW expansion phase was eventually completed in early 2015.

Third unit

Construction on the third, and thus far largest, 250 MW unit began in 2013 and was completed in early 2015, with a formal dedication ceremony on 30 April 2015.[10] This unit is located about 5km (03miles) north of the prior grouping, and is capable of generating enough electricity to power about 80,000 homes.[11]

Fourth unit

Copper Mountain Solar 4 is the fourth unit of the Copper Mountain Solar complex. Construction on the 94 MW unit, adjacent to the grouping of Units 1 and 2, commenced in 2015. It also sustained about 350 construction jobs at peak, and completed year-end 2016. In contrast to prior units, the rows of panels run north to south, with solar trackers tilting the rows from east to west in order to maximize energy production.[12]

Fifth unit

The 250 MW Copper Mountain 5 unit went online in March 2021.[13] [14] [15]

Facility unit details

Copper Mountain Solar Facility
UnitCapacity
MWAC		Complete
Date		CoordinatesOwnerPPA
Recipient		PPA
Length
Unit 1
Pilot
[16] 		10 MW Dec 2008 35.7851°N -114.996°W Sempra U.S. Gas & Power Pacific Gas & Electric 20yrs
Unit 1
Phase 2
[17] 		48 MW Dec 2010 35.78°N -114.9909°W Sempra U.S. Gas & Power Pacific Gas & Electric 20yrs
Unit 2
Phase 1
[18] [19] 		92 MW Dec 2012 35.7874°N -114.9616°W Sempra U.S. Gas & Power & Consolidated Edison Development Pacific Gas & Electric 25yrs
Unit 2
Phase 2		58 MW Apr 2015 35.808°N -114.9673°W Sempra U.S. Gas & Power & Consolidated Edison Development Pacific Gas & Electric 25yrs
Unit 3
[20] 		250 MW mid-2015 35.8898°N -114.9567°W Sempra U.S. Gas & Power & Consolidated Edison Development Southern California Public Power Authority 20yrs
Unit 4
[21] [22] 		94 MW Dec 2016 35.7893°N -114.9802°W Sempra U.S. Gas & Power Southern California Edison (SCE)20yrs
(2020 start)
Unit 5
250 MW Mar 2021 Consolidated Edison Development

Electricity production

Total Facility Generation
(Annual Sum from All Units Below)
Year Total Annual MW·h
2008826
200921,661
201050,922
2011129,590
2012199,689
2013352,561
2014503,599
20151,078,497
20161,122,818
20171,342,662
20181,364,969
20191,336,619
Average (2017-2019)1,348,083
Generation (MW·h) of Copper Mountain Solar 1 - CM10 subunit (10MW) [23]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
2008826826
2009416 727 2,136 2,472 2,863 2,102 2,486 2,882 2,386 1,573 1,063 55621,661
2010299 554 1,367 1,746 2,474 2,920 2,256 2,845 2,652 1,606 1,529 89821,146
2011971 1,301 1,631 2,275 2,512 2,874 2,103 2,469 1,765 1,700 1,041 90321,546
2012556 726 1,048 1,619 2,373 2,451 2,172 2,132 2,426 2,356 1,909 1,47721,245
20131,152 1,412 1,736 2,015 2,169 2,208 1,709 1,706 1,678 1,951 1,327 1,31220,375
2014973 1,017 1,466 1,545 1,828 2,096 1,835 1,995 2,066 2,093 1,779 1,17719,869
2015994 1,394 1,808 2,045 1,874 2,064 1,912 1,879 1,733 1,530 1,456 1,19619,885
2016 626 3,662 1,177 1,241 1,589 1,600 1,801 1,757 1,715 1,423 1,369 1,10119,061
2017803 892 1,540 1,696 1,898 2,002 1,937 2,128 2,006 1,951 1,271 1,19719,321
2018930 1192 1,527 1,906 2,016 2,361 2,011 2,034 1,956 1,534 1,199 92819,595
20191190 1302 1,800 2,130 2,258 2,487 2,511 2,445 2,090 2,029 1,385 93522,562
Generation (MW·h) of Copper Mountain Solar 1 - CM48 subunit (48MW) [24]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
20101,690 2,412 3,918 4,305 5,394 6,670 5,38729,776
20117,756 8,077 9,249 10,350 10,992 10,636 9,231 10,164 8,558 9,165 7,147 6,719108,044
20127,564 7,486 9,414 9,668 11,081 10,638 9,422 9,029 9,507 9,180 7,320 6,069106,378
20137,290 7,986 9,320 10,156 10,504 10,195 8,769 8,870 8,887 9,320 6,863 7,091105,251
20147,355 7,125 9,633 9,796 10,454 10,131 8,784 9,171 9,146 8,988 7,672 5,201103,456
20156,573 7,807 9,359 10,147 9,204 9,639 9,052 9,250 8,947 7,994 7,549 6,415101,936
20165,915 8,338 8,933 8,619 8,696 9,651 9,963 9,157 9,028 7,993 6,329 5,66998,291
20174,206 4,675 8,068 8,883 9,941 10,485 10,143 11,147 10,506 10,221 6,658 6,270101,204
20184,754 6,097 7,809 9,749 10,310 12,075 10,285 10,400 10,004 7,843 6,131 4,746100,205
20195,166 5,652 7,818 9,251 9,804 10,799 10,904 10,618 9,077 8,811 6,013 4,06197,974
Generation (MW·h) of Copper Mountain Solar 2 (150MW) [25]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
20125,751 9,416 13,857 14,648 15,569 12,82572,066
201315,532 16,971 19,879 21,460 22,276 22,448 19,450 19,402 19,397 20,112 14,949 15,059226,935
201415,742 15,521 20,509 20,723 22,239 22,234 19,590 20,143 20,614 20,043 16,628 11,000224,986
201515,813 22,847 32,606 35,639 33,533 35,903 34,065 34,143 32,696 29,524 28,180 19,300354,249
201621,561 28,303 32,347 28,763 29,914 35,865 36,913 32,992 33,124 29,486 26,004 20,358356,633
201715,226 16,922 29,206 32,157 35,988 37,955 36,720 40,351 38,032 37,002 24,103 22,699365,361
201817,435 22,360 28,638 35,752 37,810 44,280 37,717 38,140 36,689 28,763 22,485 17,406367,474
201918,873 20,650 28,565 33,798 35,821 39,453 39,840 38,793 33,164 32,193 21,969 14,836357,955
Generation (MW·h) of Copper Mountain Solar 3 (250MW) [26]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
20143,789 11,030 14,733 20,025 23,153 30,470 29,671 22,417155,288
201533,165 45,414 55,583 60,855 57,697 61,213 56,920 56,164 51,528 44,901 43,550 35,437602,427
201633,304 49,489 53,820 53,388 62,617 62,240 60,812 57,121 53,930 47,424 40,083 31,626605,854
201734,306 34,423 54,975 59,303 64,274 64,486 55,440 56,390 52,768 54,330 38,729 38,337607,761
201837,913 42,311 51,664 59,515 62,897 64,859 57,551 56,242 56,140 48,832 42,398 33,544613,866
201935,491 36,265 45,385 55,641 56,435 61,710 60,577 60,209 54,467 55,545 40,816 29,610592,151
Generation (MW·h) of Copper Mountain Solar 4 (94MW with tracking) [27]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
20164,903 14,020 13,526 10,53042,979
201710,349 11,502 19,851 21,857 24,461 25,798 24,958 27,427 25,851 25,150 16,383 15,428249,015
201812,518 16,053 20,560 25,669 27,146 31,791 27,079 27,383 26,341 20,650 16,143 12,496263,829
201914,023 15,344 21,225 25,114 26,617 29,316 29,603 28,826 24,642 23,921 16,324 11,024265,977

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Copper Mountain Solar, the Largest Photovoltaic Solar Plant in the U.S. . Solar Thermal Magazine . April 11, 2011 . https://archive.today/20130202202719/http://www.solarthermalmagazine.com/?p=7860 . February 2, 2013 . dead .
  2. Web site: Five things you should know about Copper Mountain Solar before President Obama's visit . Conor . Shine . March 20, 2012 . . March 21, 2012 .
  3. Web site: First Solar - Copper Mountain Solar 1 . . February 9, 2019 .
  4. Web site: Questions emerge over tax breaks for solar project . Delen . Goldberg . April 3, 2011 . . August 19, 2011 .
  5. http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/12/americas-largest-pv-power-plant-is-now-live America's Largest PV Power Plant Is Now Live
  6. Web site: Copper Mountain Solar I . 2012-05-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140106231250/http://www.semprausgp.com/energy-solutions/solar-cms1.html . 2014-01-06 . dead .
  7. Web site: April 16, 2009 . First Solar to Build 48MW Solar Power Plant for Sempra . February 11, 2019 . Renewable Energy World.
  8. Web site: December 6, 2010 . America's Largest PV Power Plant Is Now Live . February 11, 2019 . Renewable Energy World.
  9. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sempra-pacificgas-idUSTRE77367R20110804 Sempra to expand Copper Mountain solar plant
  10. Web site: SoCalGas Newsroom. mediaroom.com. 17 April 2018.
  11. Web site: Copper Mountain Solar 3 - Sempra Renewables. semprausgp.com. 17 April 2018.
  12. Web site: Copper Mountain Solar 4 - Sempra Renewables. semprausgp.com. 17 April 2018.
  13. Web site: Table 6.3. New Utility Scale Generating Units by Operating Company, Plant, and Month, 2021, Electric Power Monthly, U.S. Energy Information Administration, May 26, 2021 . June 8, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161123130309/http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_6_03 . 2016-11-23.
  14. http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2018/06/nevada-utility-is-putting-2-billion-into-solar-power-and-storage.html Nevada Utility is Putting $2 Billion into Solar Power and Storage
  15. http://www.tdworld.com/renewables/commission-approves-largest-clean-energy-investment-nevada-history Commission Approves Largest Clean Energy Investment in Nevada History
  16. Web site: Copper Mountain 1 facility details . 2016-06-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160619120701/http://www.semprausgp.com/project/copper-mountain-solar-1/ . 2016-06-19 . dead .
  17. PG&E Contracts With Sempra Generation For More Solar Power . July 27, 2009 . Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) . 19 August 2011 .
  18. Web site: Copper Mountain 2 facility details . 2016-06-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160615015235/http://www.semprausgp.com/project/copper-mountain-solar-2/ . 2016-06-15 . dead .
  19. Web site: Copper Mountain Solar 2 - Sempra Renewables. semprausgp.com. 17 April 2018.
  20. Web site: Copper Mountain 3 facility details . 2016-06-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160615040428/http://www.semprausgp.com/project/copper-mountain-solar-3/ . 2016-06-15 . dead .
  21. Web site: Copper Mountain 4 facility details . 2016-06-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160617090634/http://www.semprausgp.com/project/copper-mountain-solar-4/ . 2016-06-17 . dead .
  22. http://www.semprausgp.com/energy-solutions/solar-cms4.html Copper Mountain Solar 4
  23. Web site: CM10, Monthly . Electricity Data Browser . . November 2, 2019.
  24. Web site: CM48, Monthly . Electricity Data Browser . . November 2, 2019.
  25. Web site: Copper Mountain Solar 2, Monthly . Electricity Data Browser . . November 2, 2019.
  26. Web site: Copper Mountain Solar 3, Monthly . Electricity Data Browser . . November 2, 2019.
  27. Web site: Copper Mountain Solar 4, Monthly . Electricity Data Browser . . November 2, 2019.

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