Massive 550 Megawatt Solar Project Cleared for Construction in the California Desert - Why can't thi

[junaids]

Massive 550 Megawatt Solar Project Cleared for Construction in the California Desert

by Timon Singh, 08/15/11
filed under: News, Renewable Energy, Solar Power

• S

The Golden State is about to get one hell of a solar boost, as Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar just gave the green light for the construction of the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm a 550 megawattsolar power project that will be built in the California desert east of Palm Springs. The photovoltaic solar facility will generate enough energy to power 165,000 homes while bolstering the local economy by creating more than 630 jobs during its construction. The plant will use state-of-the-art ultra-thin photovoltaic (PV) technology to generate electricity with low visual impact and no air emissions, waste production or water use. In fact, it is expected to have the smallest carbon footprint of any PV technology.

The Desert Sunlight Solar Farm is the largest photovoltaic facility the Interior has approved thus far and, when built, will help power our nation and economy, Secretary Salazar said. With 12 large-scale solar projects approved in the last 18 months, we continue to make significant strides in spurring innovation, job-creation, and investment in the private sector while strengthening Americas energy security.
Here at Inhabitat, we have covered multiple solar power plants in the area. With the inclusion of theDesert Sunlight Solar Farm, the region will have a combined solar capacity of 354 megawatts (MW), making it the largest solar power installation in the world. Nevadas Solar One is a solar thermal plant with a 64 MW generating capacity, located near Boulder City, Nevada. However this all pales in comparision to the forthcoming Blythe Solar Power Project a 968 MW solar thermal power station under construction in Riverside County, California.



Read more: Massive 550 Megawatt Solar Project Cleared for Construction in the California Desert | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

 

[littlemaster]

Re: Why can't this be done in Pakistan?

yes we are capable but **** zardari,pm ppp,mqm,anp,pmln................ ya khabees nhain manta.
they get kickbacks for not doing so.

 

[mjma6]

Re: Why can't this be done in Pakistan?

Those who do not know them they vote them, those who know them they do not go to polling station, everybody pl cast your vote to get rid of these culprits.

 

[haqiqath]

Re: Why can't this be done in Pakistan?

Electric shortage as less generation and more consumption population increasing day by day in pakistan lot marriages each year china told forget load shedding per home pay just 500 rupees in pakistan and use as much one can no load shedding for ever but government said no at all no to make new private companies or competition between private companies so mafia like toyota honda suzuki who sell Flop vehicles on so high prices banning imported vehicles just one enforced to buy local scrap pakistan is in hands of mafia nothing gona happen only people and public will suffer at least not making new dams even.

 

[Safarmai]

Re: Why can't this be done in Pakistan?

How government will get money? if people start buying these.

Few years ago UN issued a report about the countries which forbid their citizens to generate electricity themself. Specially the countries (about 25) which have shortage of electricity, but still they forbid citizens to buy generators or solar panels or other means. If i remember correct, it was written that ''constitution forbid them''.

If Pak government was serious about loadshedding they could have allowed import of solar panels without customs/tax. And advertise it.

 

[jennyrock42]

Re: Massive 550 Megawatt Solar Project Cleared for Construction in the California Desert - Why can't this be done in Pakistan

Solar energy is still not a well researched field, the efficiency of the best solar cell is still quite low to compete with other sources of energy, a lot of research is under way at the moment but it may take many years before the efficiency of solar cells can be increased to the desired levels. The best alternative energy generation source that is fully developed at the moment is wind energy that is commonly incorporated in power generation in western world. I would say pakistan can benefit significantly from wind energy by setting up wind turbines along the coastal regions.


Source...Qualified in semiconductor physics

Regards

 

[contra]

Re: Massive 550 Megawatt Solar Project Cleared for Construction in the California Desert - Why can't this be done in Pakistan

1. The cost of setting up a solar power project is very high.
This is a major deterrent.

2. In this particular article, the cost of setting up this project has not been mentioned.

3. What is required is huge subsidies from the state and access to finance.

4. Of course, the advantage of such projects is that the fuel is free.

5. Please note that the US still has AAA rating. So it is easier for the US govt. or companies to raise money from the market. This is not the case for many other countries.