World’s Largest Solar PV Farm to be Built in U.S.? Maybe!

July 22nd, 2011 by Tim Tyler

The race is on to choose the best location for the world’s largest solar power complex in the United States.

Solar power experts have been working behind the scenes on a project that will see the most advanced and the largest solar power farm emerging to change the landscape somewhere in the southeastern United States.

By last count, there were seven finalists left, all hoping to have the solar farm in their midst.

The International Energy Agency in this year’s global outlook says renewable energy sources will raise their profile in the coming months. All seven communities named as finalists for the solar farm are located in southeastern United States, the agency said.

National Solar Power, a utility-scale solar power developer, said four were in Florida, two in Georgia and one in North Carolina.

“We are excited about the progress we have made in narrowing the search for establishing our groundbreaking solar farm project that will provide a source for renewable energy for consumers while boosting job creation and economic health in the winning community,” NSP Chief Executive Officer James Scrivener said. “Over the next month we will continue our due diligence and make a final decision about where this revolutionary venture will make its permanent home. Every one of the communities on our finalist list is an attractive location for this project,” he said. The communities NSP has selected as finalists are: Gadsden, Hardee, Osceola and Suwannee counties in Florida, Sumter and Tatnall counties in Georgia, and Guilford County (Greensboro-area) in North Carolina.

NSP plans to establish a 400-megawatt solar project in the winning community, which would make it the world’s largest photovoltaic power plant. The project is made up of 20 related 200-acre solar farms, with each generating more than 20-megawatts of renewable energy.

The world’s largest solar power plant at present is an 80-megawatt solar project in Ontario, Canada.

By converting the natural power of the sun into electricity, NSP’s planned 400-megawatt farm will be capable of providing enough renewable energy to power roughly 32,000 homes.

The project will likely inject hundreds of millions of dollars into the winning community. NSP said its landmark project has the potential to create 400 jobs during the five-year construction phase and up to 120 permanent jobs that will all be based on a clean energy endeavor.

The first phase of the solar farm project is expected to be up and running within six months of construction commencing, Scrivener said.

h/t UPI.com

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Photo Credit: pixor









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