Mount Signal Solar Explained

Mount Signal Solar
Coordinates:32.6733°N -115.6397°W
Country:United States
Location:Calexico, Imperial County, California
Status:Units 1 & 3 Operational
Commissioned:May 2014 (MS1)
July 2018 (MS3)
Cost:$365 million (Unit 1)
Operator:TerraForm Power (MS1)
Capital Dynamics (MS3)
Solar Type:PV
Ps Units Operational:3million FS Series3 (MS1)
2.8million FS Series 4 (MS2)
Ps Site Area:1940acres (MS1)
2000acres (MS3)
Ps Electrical Cap Fac:29.7%

Mount Signal Solar, also known as Imperial Valley Solar Project, is a 794 MWp (614 MWAC) photovoltaic power station west of Calexico, California, United States, in the southern Imperial Valley, near the Mexican border. The facility is being developed and constructed by 8minutenergy Renewables in three phases, with two completed as of 2018. At full build-out, it will be one of the world's largest PV solar farms with a capacity of about 800 MWp (600 MWAC). The project has been supported by several environmental groups, as the power station was built on low productivity farmland.[1]

History

Originally the project was called SES Solar Two, was to be of Stirling engine design, and was approved by California Energy Commission on September 29, 2010.[2] AES Solar subsequently changed the name to Imperial Valley Solar, but later notified the commission on June 30, 2011 of its intention to no longer pursue the project.[3] AES Solar and 8minuteenergy Renewables subsequently announced on February 17, 2012 their plan to revive the project, changing the technology from solar thermal to photovoltaic, and changing the project name to Mount Signal Solar.[4]

The first phase started construction in 2012 and went online in 2014, providing 266 MWp (206 MWAC) to San Diego Gas & Electric under a 25-year agreement.[5] More than 3 million thin-film CdTe photovoltaic modules from First Solar and 138 skids designed and manufactured by Elettronica Santerno are used.[6] It was the world's largest solar project using single-axis trackers to follow the path of the sun upon completion.[7] [8] The cost for this first unit was $365million.

Phases two and three consist of 200 MWp and 328 MWp of power, respectively, on contracted to Southern California Edison. Phase 2 is expected to be commissioned by 2020,[9] while Phase 3 went online in July 2018.[10] [11] Phase 3 consists of 2.8 million Series 4 thin film panels from First Solar.[11]

Project units

The Mount Signal Solar Farm consists of three units, or construction phases:

Electricity production

Mount Signal 1 nameplate capacities: 260 MWdc, 206 MWac
annual net output: 537 GW·h (avg 2015–2017)
capacity factor: 29.7%

Generation (MW·h) of Mount Signal 1[16]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
201314,324 22,83637,160
201422,740 28,996 52,995 50,216 54,049 45,771 41,333 54,391 49,421 41,741 34,314 24,588500,555
201526,785 36,002 48,988 54,670 57,135 57,622 58,306 56,135 41,832 40,183 32,880 28,148538,685
201628,732 39,221 45,763 51,495 62,321 60,274 60,762 54,169 45,606 39,605 28,038 20,539536,525
201721,264 23,751 44,398 47,373 60,412 65,437 59,589 55,128 51,371 47,328 29,254 30,779536,083

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: World’s largest solar farm coming to Imperial Valley . Scott . Sterling . April 5, 2012 . Southern California Public Radio.
  2. Web site: Imperial Valley Solar Project . California Energy Commission . September 29, 2010 .
  3. Web site: Commission Decision and License for the Imperial Valley Solar Project . California Energy Commission . August 10, 2011 .
  4. Web site: 8minutenergy Renewables and AES Solar to Develop 200 MW of Locally Generated Solar Energy for SDG&E Power Purchase Agreement . February 17, 2012 .
  5. 8minutenergy Renewables 266 MW Mount Signal Solar Farm Starts Construction . November 12, 2012 . 8minutenergy.
  6. Web site: Santerno to supply inverters for 265-MWp California PV plant . renewablesnow.com . 28 Nov 2012.
  7. Web site: Mount Signal Solar Is Online: World's Largest Single Axis Solar PV Project . SustainableBusiness.com . 23 May 2015.
  8. Web site: World’s Largest Tracking Solar PV Plant Completed In California . May 23, 2014 . Sophie . Vorrath . CleanTechnica.
  9. Web site: Submission of Contracts for Procurement of Renewable Energy from SCE's 2013 Renewables Portfolio Standard Solicitation. . March 19, 2015 . Southern California Edition.
  10. 8minutenergy Renewables and Silver Ridge Power to Build Two Solar Projects Totaling 406 MW to Provide Power to Southern California Edison . August 4, 2014 . 8minutenergy.
  11. 8minutenergy and Capital Dynamics Announce 328 MW Mount Signal 3 Solar Project . July 11, 2017 . 8minutenergy.
  12. News: 8minutenergy begins first phase of 800MW solar project . Melanie . Turner . November 12, 2012 . Sacramento Business Journal.
  13. Abengoa completes the construction of the world’s largest single-axis photovoltaic plant . May 21, 2014 . Abengoa.
  14. Web site: Table 6.3. New Utility Scale Generating Units by Operating Company, Plant, and Month, 2016, Electric Power Monthly, U.S. Energy Information Administration, October 25, 2016 . November 18, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161123130309/http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_6_03 . November 23, 2016 . live .
  15. https://cleantechnica.com/2018/07/12/8minutenergy-turns-on-phases-1-2-of-328-megawatt-mount-signal-3-solar-farm/ 8minutenergy Turns On Phases 1 & 2 Of 328 Megawatt Mount Signal 3 Solar Farm
  16. Web site: Mount Signal 1, Monthly . Electricity Data Browser . . January 1, 2019.