According to a story by Reuters a US$1.6 billion 300 MW solar PV farm is being planned for New Mexico. The facility would require 3,200 acres and take five years to build. The plan calls for $650,000 for a factory to build the panels and the solar farm would cost $950,000 million. New Solar Ventures and another start-up company, Solar Torx, both based in Phoenix, will operate the joint venture. They have an aggreement to lease the first 640 acres and have a staff of six besides the lead developer Ed Balch of New Solar Ventures.
That is about all the article had to say. That's $3.17/watt if you don't count the cost of the factory. The firms involved apparently do not have much, if any, experience in solar. No mention of what kind of or whose technology was mentioned.
A minor thing, but I think your summary should say $650M for the factory, and $950M for the farm. You are off by a factor of 1,000 for each one!
Keep up the good work.
Brian
Posted by: BCC | April 28, 2006 at 09:55 AM
I suspect that if the same land was used for concentrating solar power instead of solar photovoltaics, you'd see a much better price per kilowatt-hour number.
CSP might be better for industrial production, although I believe solar photovoltaics are still a good rooftop option.
Stephen
Posted by: Stephen Boulet | April 28, 2006 at 06:27 PM
Actually the best performance would combine solar concentration with PV, infrared PV,and capturing waste heat for heating/cooling energy. Solar cogeneration.
10 sun concentration through PV has yielded 39% efficiency, infrared could capture maybe 20% more, and capturing the remaining heat employing vacuum tube insulation with circulating oil could get another 20%.
Devoting wilderness land to solar is not necessary at these efficiencies. Better to mount solar on homes, buildings, over parking lots and even over highways.
That huge amount of area already developed for human uses, with solar cogeneration, would provide enough power along with wind and water power to replace current fossil and nuclear energy sources.
The political and financial will is the only thing lacking, the technology already exists.
Posted by: amazingdrx | April 29, 2006 at 09:48 AM
The best thin film solar manufacturing lines can make 9.5% efficient a-Si cells for about $1.50 per Watt at 20 MW per year capacity. The same thin film manufacturing line can also make a-Si/monocrystalline-Si tandem cells that are about 12% efficient in production runs. The factory cost should be about $2 per Watt with a two year payback on investment. All of this should be much lower cost at the 300 MW scale proposed ... like about $600M total.
At this cost a good deal of the cost are covered by government production incentives. You must remember you get New Mexico money to manufacture solar cells and produce green power there. You also get another incentive paid by California for using solar power. New Mexico is a net energy producer so sll of this new solar power will be sold out of state.
If they would smart up, 4% loans are available with an added 5% cushion of credit account for this type of solar deal.
Posted by: Kevin Reed | May 03, 2006 at 06:37 AM
"the solar technology they plan to use will generate power for around 8 cents to 10 cents per kilowatt-hour" wrote www.abqjournal.com in their april 26th issue.
Posted by: PM | June 01, 2006 at 08:29 AM
Find all the renewable energy information you need. Sign up for a free trial and issue by emailing me.
Ari Greenberg
(434)-951-7763
Posted by: Ari Greenberg | February 05, 2007 at 05:16 PM
at http://www.snlenergy.com
Posted by: Ari Greenberg | February 05, 2007 at 05:16 PM
The world's first "solar trigeneration" energy system was installed at the Audubon Nature Center's 5,000 sq. ft. office building, near downtown Los Angeles, in 2003.
Solar Trigeneration provides 3 energies -"cooling, heating and power" simultaneously, and advances "solar cogeneration" to a viable solution for every brown building in the U.S., or practically anywhere the sun shines.
Even more impressive - the Solar Trigeneration energy system at the Audubon Nature Center generates all of its' power and energy requirements, whether or not the sun is shining (daytime or nighttime), and WITHOUT any connection to SoCal Edison's electric grid!
There is a report on this amazing solar trigeneration energy system at: www.SolarTrigeneration.com
Posted by: Meg | October 11, 2009 at 11:47 AM
Nice project.
“a truly sustainable power and energy solution.”
Until it breaks! See that is the scam. As a mechanical engineer I can tell you how much maintenance that this very expensive system will have.
What ever happened to conserving so we do not need new power plants? I am not sure why the Audubon society needs a heated and cooled building in LA. The term oxymoron comes to mind.
Fortunately, I live in coal country where the air is clean. My utility does a good job of providing electricity and protecting the environment. I do not need a 5000 square foot building to observe birds. I just look outside. Birds are everywhere I live. I suppose they like all the trees and clean air too.
Posted by: Kit P | October 12, 2009 at 10:38 AM
what happens when you spawn solar system on the point?
Posted by: scoremore | October 17, 2010 at 08:18 AM
The costs did not include the land lease or maintenance or life cycle costing (to replace equipment as it fails over time). I can't seem to get a good source for these yet, but I understand they are quite significant. For example, even at $.79 for the panel itself, which may be possible very soon, there are costs which are relatively fixed that add on quite a bit.
Posted by: Tom | November 24, 2011 at 02:07 PM