Facts about California Solar Energy

Sun is being used as major source of renewable solar energy in California. Here we are going to discuss the potential and developments of California solar energy. California has enormous also underdeveloped solar resources.  This state is leader in solar development and produces about 350MW of electricity from concentrating solar power facilities and about 100 MW from photovoltaic systems. If we analyze the geography and weather conditions of this state then we will come to know that photovoltaic can be deployed anywhere in California. Growth of solar power production is very fast in California due to renewable portfolio standard which requires that 20% of California electricity comes from renewable resources by 2010 and by 2020 about 33% of electricity growth should be through renewable resources.  

A large number of solar projects have been completed in California and some of them are under process. The largest solar power plant of the world known as SEGS was developed here in 1991. It produces about 354MW of electric power. The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is located at 40 miles from Las Vegas generates 391MW and is under construction. California has the largest number of homes in the world which have installed solar panels. Many of these were built in result to an initiative taken in 2008 and named as million solar roof initiatives. Many other initiatives for California solar energy were also taken by the government for progress of this field. These are mentioned below 

1.      The Blythe Solar Power Project is a proposal for solar thermal station which is expected to give an output of about 968MW. This thermal station is to be located at Riverside Country, California. Design of this system will be parabolic trough and Solar Millennium is the company involved in this process. 

2.      The Calico Solar energy plant is a project of 850MW solar thermal power station which is to be located in San Bernardino, California. Design of this system will be Stirling engine and Tessera Solar is the company handling this project. 

3.      The Imperial Valley Solar Project is the project proposed for 709MW solar thermal power station. This will be located at Imperial Country, California. 

California solar initiative was a big renewable energy program in United States. Million solar roof initiative was carried out in the reign of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In this initiative, California sets a goal of 3,000MW of solar produced electricity by 2016. It was expected that it will provide an enormous amount of energy in future with cheap rates but soon this initiative came to an end due to certain reasons. However many people installed solar roofs during this program. California solar initiative provided high cash incentives on solar systems and more than $2 billion were fixed for those people who will install photovoltaic. 

Regards,

The Solar Heating Systems Team