- Nellis Solar Power Plant
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Nellis Solar Power Plant 
Nellis Solar Power Plant, the second largest photovoltaic power plant in North AmericaLocation of Nellis Solar Power Plant
Country United States Location Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada Coordinates 36°15′30″N 115°03′10″W / 36.25833°N 115.05278°WCoordinates: 36°15′30″N 115°03′10″W / 36.25833°N 115.05278°W Commission date December 17, 2007 Owner(s) Nellis Air Force Base Solar farm information Type Flat-panel PV Photovoltaic modules 70,000 Land area 140 acres (0.6 km2) Power generation information Installed capacity 14 MW The Nellis Solar Power Plant is located within Nellis Air Force Base in Clark County, Nevada, on the northeast side of Las Vegas. The Nellis solar energy system will generate in excess of 25 million kilowatt-hours (kW·h) of electricity annually and supply more than 25 percent of the power used at the base.[1] The system was inaugurated in a ceremony on December 17, 2007, with Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons activating full operation of the 14 megawatt (MW) array.[2][3]
Occupying 140 acres (57 ha) of land leased from the Air Force at the western edge of the base, this ground-mounted solar system employs an advanced sun tracking system, designed and deployed by SunPower. The system contains approximately 70,000 solar panels, and the peak power generation capacity of the plant is approximately 13 MW AC.[1] This means the ratio of average to peak output, or capacity factor, of this plant is around 22%.
The energy generated will support more than 12,000 military and civilians at Nellis who are responsible for Air Force advanced combat training, tactics development and operational testing. Construction began on April 23, 2007,[1] and operation of the first 5 MW began on October 12, 2007.[4][5]
Contents
Renewable portfolio standard
A section of the Nellis Solar Power Plant
In 1997 Nevada passed a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) as part of their 1997 Electric Restructuring Legislation (AB 366) It required any electric providers in the state to acquire actual renewable electric generation or purchase renewable energy credits so that each utility had 1 percent of total consumption in renewables. However, on June 8, 2001, Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn signed SB 372, at the time the country's most aggressive renewable portfolio standard. The law requires that 15 percent of all electricity generated in Nevada be derived from new renewables by the year 2013.[6]
The 2001, revision to the RPS keeps in place Nevada's commitment to expand solar energy resources by requiring that at least 5 percent of the renewable energy projects must generate electricity from solar energy.[6]
In June 2005, the Nevada legislature passed a bill during a special legislative session that modified the Nevada RPS (Assembly Bill 03). The bill extends the deadline and raised the requirements of the RPS to 20 percent of sales by 2015.[6]
Expansion
An extension of the plant, which could generate another 18 megawatts of power, has been proposed. The Air Force has not yet decided whether to have the extension built, and its potential cost and size have not been determined, but the military sees considerable operational advantages in solar power.[7]
Presidential visit
President Barack Obama addressed an audience of more than 450 people at the Nellis Solar Power Plant on May 27, 2009.President Barack Obama visited the facility on May 27, 2009.[8]
See also
- DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center
- List of concentrating solar thermal power companies
- List of photovoltaic power stations
- List of solar thermal power stations
- Renewable energy in the United States
- Renewable portfolio standard
- Solar power
- Solar power in the United States
- Solar power in Nevada
References
- ^ a b c Largest U.S. Solar Photovoltaic System Begins Construction at Nellis Air Force Base
- ^ "Solar power system at Nellis AFB goes live". KVBC. 2007-12-18. http://kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=7509408. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
- ^ Air Force Switches on Largest Solar Power Plant
- ^ Solar panels connect to base electric grid
- ^ eXenewable Project Profile Page - Nellis, NV, US, PV
- ^ a b c "Renewable Portfolio Standard - Nevada". http://www.newrules.org/electricity/rpsnv.html. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
- ^ Steve Kanigher. Nellis wants to double the base’s solar energy output Las Vegas Sun, November 23, 2010.
- ^ Nellis tour gives Obama close look at solar future on www.lvrj.com
External links
Solar power in the United States Solar power by state Arizona · California · Hawaii · Nevada · New Jersey · New Mexico · OregonSolar power plants Alamosa · Blue Wing · Blythe Photovoltaic Power Plant · Copper Mountain · Davidson County · DeSoto · El Dorado · Holaniku · Kimberlina · Martin · Nellis · Nevada Solar One · Sierra SunTower · Solar Energy Generating Systems · Space Coast · WyandotPlanned or
under constructionAgua Caliente · Antelope Valley · Blythe Solar Power Project · Calico · California Valley · Desert Sunlight Project · Imperial Valley · Ivanpah · Mesquite · Mojave Solar Park · Panoche Valley · Rancho Cielo · Rice · Solana · TopazCompanies Ascent Solar · Ausra · BP Solar · BrightSource · eSolar · EnviroMission · First Solar · Practical Solar · Pyron Solar · Sharp Solar · SkyFuel · Skyline Solar · Sopogy · Stirling Energy Systems · YingliResidential
solar power1BOG · Citizenre · Community solar farm · PACE Financing · REC Solar · Sungevity · SolarCity · Sundog Solar · Sunetric · SunRunCategories:- Solar power in the Mojave Desert
- Solar power stations in the United States
- Buildings and structures in Clark County, Nevada
- Energy resource facilities in Nevada
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