First Solar has announced that the Antelope Valley Solar Ranch has achieved a peak generating capacity of 100MW connected to the electrical grid and will have a total generating capacity of 230MW upon completion later this year. The project is currently under construction in northern Los Angeles County and was begun in September 2011 with module installation commencing in June 2012. The project provided an average of 400 jobs during the construction phase.
Power from the solar ranch is being purchased under a 25 year contract by Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
“We are proud to achieve this important clean energy milestone for California” said Lou Moore, First Solar Senior Vice President of Engineering, Procurement and Construction, “…which was made possible by the tireless efforts of hundreds of individuals working together. We especially appreciate the support of LA County's Fifth Supervisorial District staff and the departments of Regional Planning and Public Works for their contributions to making this project a success. Unlike traditional power plants, the modular nature of PV power projects enables us to quickly add substantial volumes of clean energy to the grid throughout the construction process. This shorter ‘time to energy' is another key advantage of PV solar electricity.”
When fully operational the plant will generate enough power for 75,000 average California homes and will displace about 140,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, which is equivalent to taking 30,000 cars of the road per year.
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