Posted on 03/01/2008 3:28:56 AM PST by PeaceBeWithYou
Abengoa Solar Purchases 3,000 Acres for $1 Billion Solana Generating Plant
Abengoa Solar, a Spanish-based solar energy company, has purchased roughly 3,000 acres near Gila Bend, AZ, where it intends to develop the world's largest solar power plant.
An investment entity associated with Brandon Wolfswinkel of Tempe, AZ, sold the land for $45.12 million, or about $14,700 per acre.
Abengoa Solar, which has solar plants in Spain and northern Africa, will construct and operate the 280-megawatt, $1 billion facility known as the Solana Generating Plant. The plant will use thousands of giant mirrors covering 1,900 acres to harness the sun's heat (rather than its light) to turn steam turbines, generating electricity.
The plant is scheduled to go into production in 2011. It will be able to power 70,000 households while avoiding more than 400,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, according to Abengoa.
Arizona Public Service, the state's largest utility, has agreed to purchase the energy from Abengoa over the next 30 years. "This is a major milestone for Arizona in our efforts to increase the amount of renewable energy available in the United States," stated Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano. "Arizona is leading the way in protecting our world for future generations through increasing the amount of renewable energy, combating climate change, fighting for air quality and much more. This plant will offer Arizonans a clean and efficient source of energy."
Sunny Outlook: Can Sunshine Provide All U.S. Electricity?
I tried to find that story with the keyword solar. I had to do it the hard way using my name and the keyword energy. It was solarpower that I failed to remember.
EXACTLY!
Remind us of the foolishnesses from Hollywood that man could land on the moon.
I met a young man with a UT degree in agriculture who lives on a few acres but farms on leased land all over the place.
I don’t know how well he does, but he is in the business on gentlemen farmers land and they apparently are happy to be paid some money to rent their idle land.
He was in the business he wanted to be in
” Remind us of the foolishnesses from Hollywood that man could land on the moon.”
I believe you are referring to Jules Vern’s BOOK. I’d like to see you go to the moon using his technology.
The concept of solar power is great for pool heaters and such. Large scale energy production via solar remains questionable after decades of trying.
As far as "generate enough power per sf", do you have any such metric for say coal fired plants? I mean, considering the railroad beds, the strip mines, the physical power plants, the grave lots for dead miners, etc. Or perhaps nukes, I mean who wants to live under the shadow of a cooling tower? And, how many acres per MW are consumed by mining, milling, shipping and guarding uranium and its spent substance? Do you have a metric to compare?
Only when the baddies are flying over to bomb our cities, then the national guard will fight them off by aiming the mirrors at their planes.
and then by 365 (for kWh per year - the quoted measure). Of course there also is the small mistake in that 1 mW = 1000 kW.
Appreciated. If they are building on farmland, then agree with you that they should have used desert. Arizona has plenty of open land that would great for the location of a solar plant.
All the heat in concentrated on a boiler section which generates superheated steam, which runs turbines.
The mirrors track the sun and focus the heat on the boiler, like a magnifying lens on an ant.
I remember sending many of them up in smoke.
Easy technology, given today’s computer controlled tracking systems, and efficient motors moving the mirrors.
Freznel lens would help too.
“It has been proven, soil and items living within it die when cut off from the suns raiant energy.”
Grass doesn’t grow under a cedar tree.
“Grass doesnt grow under a cedar tree.”
Also oak trees will kill the grass, but the primary cause isn’t lack of sunshine. These trees suck up a lot of water.
Uhhhh...just ask yourself what grows in the Arizona desert——besides cactus, of course. I lived there for 3 years——better to “grow” solar power there.
Any dust covering solar panels in the desert can easily be blown away by the wind turbines.......hahahaha
Speaking of Homeless, Gila Bend could use the infusion. I was stationed there a number of years back and that town was pretty damn desolate. I enjoyed the freedom of 4 wheeling on a moments notice and defending myself at 1AM at the local watering holes. A big ass solar plant would be wild. I’m for it if it can be cost-effective.
Mine's about $5/mo.
But then again, I do have a PV array on the roof...
Nice! I’m waiting till a system like that here in NC has about a 5-7 year payback and then I may purchase a system. Right now I’ve calculated it at 15 years with 4% annual increase in electricity each year.
I have a solar heating system for the pool. That works pretty well. Not sure if PV arrays would make it through a hurricane though.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.