Genesis Solar Energy Project Explained

Genesis Solar Energy Project
Coordinates:33.665°N -114.9947°W
Country:United States
Location:Riverside County, California
Status:O
Construction Began:December 15, 2010
Commissioned:April 24, 2014[1]
Cost:US$1.25 billion[2]
Owner:NextEra Energy Partners
Operator:NextEra Energy Resources
Solar Type:csp
Solar Csp Technology:P
Solar Collectors:500,000
Ps Site Area:1920acres
Ps Units Operational:2 x 140 MWe (gross)
Ps Electrical Capacity:250 MW[3]
Ps Electrical Cap Fac:28.32% (2016-2020)
Ps Annual Generation:620

The Genesis Solar Energy Project is a concentrated solar power station located in the Mojave Desert on of Bureau of Land Management land, in eastern Riverside County, California. The plant is owned/managed by Genesis Solar, LLC, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC. The Genesis Solar Energy Project is located about west of Blythe, in the Lower Colorado River Valley.[4] The plant was built in the Colorado Desert along an ancient trade route that native people had traveled for thousands of years. The route traversed the Sonoran Desert and enabled trade between the Colorado River and the coast.[5] [6]

The solar power plant consists of two independent 125 MW net (140 MW gross) sections, using solar trough technology.[7] This was one of three of the world's largest solar plants, that began supplying power in 2013 and 2014, located in the deserts of Riverside and San Bernardino counties.[8] The Project power block and solar arrays occupy about 1360acres of the site. The rest are the evaporation ponds, access road, administration buildings and some fenced open area. The 1840 Solar Collector Assemblies are 1048sqm each, yielding 1928320sqm of total solar aperture.

A June 2014 report details the project's potential impact on bird populations.[9]

Production

Genesis Solar Energy Project's production is as follows (MWh).[10]

Generation (MW·h) of Genesis Solar Energy Project
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
2013345 6,6847,029
20144,892 13,080 48,455 60,960 72,621 80,979 68,861 66,969 63,976 46,236 35,271 13,813576,113
201516,876 40,980 60,875 70,919 72,725 70,898 70,190 69,009 52,732 41,160 33,601 21,489621,454
201617,573 45,940 55,704 55,737 79,177 76,282 77,787 67,890 58,971 48,245 30,618 10,218624,142
201721,248 28,112 62,031 64,575 75,992 83,297 68,336 68,704 62,515 55,708 22,099 16,214627,831
201824,00037,45250,34863,37979,07480,33765,78767,57167,82043,91829,75513,701623,142
201921,504 32,737 49,442 64,304 71,059 76,978 70,784 73,918 60,203 56,903 26,794 12,417617,043
202018,874 34,184 46,428 68,153 82,837 78,973 82,897 64,037 50,644 46,579 29,435 6,088609,129
20211,905 16,631 55,797 66,672 78,899 67,839 55,492 62,516 52,333 42,882 27,358 10,283538,607
202222,275 37,730 55,671 68,625 80,949 78,285 62,529 57,542 50,694 50,523 31,068 17,816613,707
202313,879 32,899 40,676 70,312 79,404 82,249 73,300 64,977 59,064 53,893 29,489 18,042618,184
Total (2013-2023) 6,070,352

Maximum production was estimated at 580,000 MW·h per year.[11]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/concentrating-solar/another-huge-solar-plant-goes-online-in-desert.html Another Huge Solar Plant Goes Online in California's Desert
  2. Web site: 250MW Genesis Thermal Solar Gets $852M DOE Loan Guarantee . Wesoff . Eric . 30 August 2011 . www.greentechmedia.com . . https://web.archive.org/web/20111221044427/http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/250mw-genesis-thermal-solar-gets-852m-doe-loan . 21 December 2011 . live . 16 July 2018.
  3. Web site: Genesis Solar Energy Project Eastern Riverside County, California - Amendment (09-AFC-8). California Energy Commission. PDF. 1 July 2015. 2015-09-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20150913005106/http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/genesis_solar/compliance/documents/2012-04-13_Petition_to_Amend_TN-64751.pdf#page=17. dead.
  4. Web site: Energy.ca.gov: Genesis Solar Energy Project . 2013-05-01 . 2013-05-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130510080933/http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/genesis_solar/ . dead .
  5. News: The Press-Enterprise. SACRIFICED FOR SOLAR: Sacred tribal area destroyed for efficiency's sake. David. Danelski . April 20, 2015. Riverside, California.
  6. Web site: Tribes want Biden to balance technology and cultural issues in renewable energy projects . www.azcentral.com . en . 2021-01-18 .
  7. Web site: Blm.gov: Renewable Energy Projects Approved Since the Beginning of Calendar Year 2009 . 2013-05-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130502011401/http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/energy/renewable_energy/Renewable_Energy_Projects_Approved_to_Date.html . 2013-05-02 . dead .
  8. News: The Press-Enterprise. SOLAR POWER: Inland plants boost state to No. 1. David. Danelski . April 16, 2015. Riverside, California.
  9. Web site: Kagan. Rebecca A. Avian Mortality at Solar Energy Facilities in Southern California: A Preliminary Analysis. Palen Solar Power Project - Compliance. 2014-12-07. 2014-06-23. 2014-12-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20141226113505/http://docketpublic.energy.ca.gov/PublicDocuments/09-AFC-07C/TN202538_20140623T154647_Exh_3107_Kagan_et_al_2014.pdf. dead.
  10. Web site: Genesis Solar Energy Project, Monthly . Electricity Data Browser . . March 8, 2017.
  11. Web site: Genesis Solar Energy Project . April 25, 2014 . Concentrating Solar Power Projects . National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) . 2015-06-28 .