Genesis Solar Energy Project

Genesis Solar Energy Project

Mirrors of the project,
Mojave Desert, Lower Colorado River Valley, California.
Location of Genesis Solar Energy Project in California
Country United States
Location Riverside County, California
Coordinates 33°39′54″N 114°59′41″W / 33.66500°N 114.99472°W / 33.66500; -114.99472Coordinates: 33°39′54″N 114°59′41″W / 33.66500°N 114.99472°W / 33.66500; -114.99472
Status Operational
Construction began December 15, 2010
Commission date April 24, 2014[1]
Solar field
Type CSP
CSP technology Parabolic trough
Collectors 500,000
Site area 1,920 acres (780 ha)
Power generation
Units operational 2
Nameplate capacity 280 MW[2]
Annual generation 580 GWh

The Genesis Solar Energy Project is a concentrated solar power station located in the Mojave Desert on 1,920 acres (780 ha) of Bureau of Land Management land, in eastern Riverside County, California. The Genesis Solar Energy Project is located about 25 miles (40 km) west of Blythe, in the Lower Colorado River Valley.[3] The plant was built in the Colorado Desert along an ancient trade route that native people had traveled for thousands of years. The route traversed the Sonoran Desert and enabled trade between the Colorado River and the coast.[4]

The solar power plant consists of two independent 125 MW net (140 MW gross) sections, using solar trough technology.[5] This was one of three of the world’s largest solar plants, that began supplying power in 2013 and 2014, located in the deserts of Riverside and San Bernardino counties.[6] The Project power block and solar arrays occupy about 1,360 acres (550 ha) of the site. The rest are the evaporation ponds, access road, administration buildings and some fenced open area. The 1840 Solar Collector Assemblies are 1,048 square metres (11,280 sq ft) each, yielding 1,928,320 square metres (20,756,300 sq ft) of total solar aperture.

A June 2014 report details the project's potential impact on bird populations.[7] 133 killed birds and/or bats were reported killed at Ivanpah Solar Energy Center between January-June 2014 by H.T. Harvey and Associates, a consulting firm hired by Ivanpah owners NRG Energy and Brightsource Energy. The figure has not been confirmed by independent sources.[8] For perspective, approximately 1.2 billion birds die annually from collisions with windows, vehicles, and power lines.[9] After a video appeared online [10] showing what appear to birds "vaporizing" in the intense heat of the solar flux at Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, CEO Kevin Smith of SolarReserve, Crescent Dunes owner, claims focusing no more than 4 mirrors on any one place in the air during standby "appears to have fully corrected the problem". The claim has not been verified by independent sources.[11]

Production

Genesis Solar Energy Project's production is as follows (MWh).[12]

Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Total
2013 345 6,684 7,029
2014 4,892 13,080 48,455 60,960 72,621 80,979 68,861 66,969 63,976 46,236 35,271 13,813 576,113
2015 16,876 40,980 60,875 70,919 72,725 70,898 70,190 69,009 52,732 41,160 33,601 21,489 621,454
2016 17,573 17,573
Total 1,222,169

Projected full production is 580,000 MW·h per year.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Another Huge Solar Plant Goes Online in California's Desert, Chris Clarke, REWIRE, May 5, 2014
  2. ↑ "Genesis Solar Energy Project Eastern Riverside County, California - Amendment (09-AFC-8)" (PDF). California Energy Commission. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  3. ↑ Energy.ca.gov: Genesis Solar Energy Project
  4. ↑ Danelski, David (April 20, 2015). "SACRIFICED FOR SOLAR: Sacred tribal area destroyed for efficiency's sake". The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, California).
  5. ↑ Blm.gov: Renewable Energy Projects Approved Since the Beginning of Calendar Year 2009
  6. ↑ Danelski, David (April 16, 2015). "SOLAR POWER: Inland plants boost state to No. 1". The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, California).
  7. ↑ Kagan, Rebecca A (2014-06-23). "Avian Mortality at Solar Energy Faciites in California: A Preliminary Analysis" (PDF). Palen Solar Power Project - Compliance. Retrieved 2014-12-07.
  8. ↑ "For the Birds: How Speculation Trumped Fact at Ivanpah". RenewableEnergyWorld.com. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  9. ↑ http://www.west-inc.com/reports/avian_collisions.pdf
  10. ↑ http://www.basinandrangewatch.org/Crescent-Dunes-Solar-Flux.html
  11. ↑ "One Weird Trick Prevents Bird Deaths At Solar Towers". CleanTechnica.com. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  12. ↑ Energy Information Administration. "Genesis Solar Energy Project, Annual". Electricity Data Browser. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Genesis Solar Energy Project". Concentrating Solar Power Projects. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). April 25, 2014. Retrieved 2015-06-28.

External links

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