Mount Signal Solar

{{Short description|Photovoltaic power station in Imperial County, California}}

{{Infobox power station

| name = Mount Signal Solar

| name_official =

| image =

| image_caption =

| image_alt =

| coordinates = {{coord|32|40|24|N|115|38|23|W|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| country = United States

| location = Calexico, Imperial County, California

| status = Units 1 & 3 Operational

| construction_began =

| commissioned = May 2014 (MS1)
July 2018 (MS3)
2020 (MS2)

| decommissioned =

| cost = $365 million (Unit 1)

| operator = TerraForm Power (MS1)
Capital Dynamics (MS3)

| solar_type = PV

| ps_units_operational = 3million FS Series3 (MS1)
2.8million FS Series 4 (MS2)

| ps_site_area = {{Convert|1940|acre|ha}} (MS1)
{{Convert|2000|acre|ha}} (MS3)

| ps_electrical_capacity = 794 MW_p, 614 MW _AC

| ps_electrical_cap_fac = 29.7%{{small|(average 2015–2017, MS1)}}

| ps_annual_generation = 1,200 GW·h

| website =

| extra =

}}

Mount Signal Solar, also known as Imperial Valley Solar Project, is a 794 MW_p (614 MW_AC) photovoltaic power station west of Calexico, California, United States, in the southern Imperial Valley, near the Mexican border. The facility was developed and constructed by 8minutenergy Renewables in three phases, with two completed as of 2018, and the third in 2020. It is one of the world's largest PV solar farms with a capacity of about 800 MW_p (600 MW_AC). The project has been supported by several environmental groups, as the power station was built on low-productivity farmland.{{cite news |url=http://www.scpr.org/blogs/environment/2012/04/05/5422/worlds-largest-solar-farm-coming-imperial-valley/ |title=World’s largest solar farm coming to Imperial Valley |first=Scott |last=Sterling |date=April 5, 2012 |work=Southern California Public Radio}}

History

Originally the project was called SES Solar Two, was to be of Stirling engine design, and was approved by California Energy Commission on September 29, 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/solartwo/index.html |title=Imperial Valley Solar Project |author=California Energy Commission |date=September 29, 2010 }}

AES Solar subsequently changed the name to Imperial Valley Solar, but later notified the commission on June 30, 2011 of its intention to no longer pursue the project.{{cite web |url=http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/solartwo/compliance/notices/2011-08-17_Order_Terminating_Commission_Decision_and_License_TN-61924.pdf |title=Commission Decision and License for the Imperial Valley Solar Project |author=California Energy Commission |date=August 10, 2011 }}

AES Solar and 8minuteenergy Renewables subsequently announced on February 17, 2012 their plan to revive the project, changing the technology from solar thermal to photovoltaic, and changing the project name to Mount Signal Solar.{{cite web |url=https://www.8minutenergy.com/2012/02/8minutenergy-renewables-and-aes-solar-to-develop-200-mw-of-locally-generated-solar-energy-for-sdge-power-purchase-agreement/ |title=8minutenergy Renewables and AES Solar to Develop 200 MW of Locally Generated Solar Energy for SDG&E Power Purchase Agreement |date=February 17, 2012 }}

The first phase started construction in 2012 and went online in 2014, providing 266 MW_p (206 MW_AC) to San Diego Gas & Electric under a 25-year agreement.{{cite press release |url=http://www.8minutenergy.com/2012/11/8minutenergy-renewables-266-mw-mount-signal-solar-farm-starts-construction/ |title=8minutenergy Renewables 266 MW Mount Signal Solar Farm Starts Construction |date=November 12, 2012 |publisher=8minutenergy}} More than 3 million thin-film CdTe photovoltaic modules from First Solar and 138 skids designed and manufactured by Elettronica Santerno are used.{{cite web |url=https://renewablesnow.com/news/santerno-to-supply-inverters-for-265-mwp-california-pv-plant-319071/ |title=Santerno to supply inverters for 265-MWp California PV plant |publisher=renewablesnow.com |date=28 Nov 2012}} It was the world's largest solar project using single-axis trackers to follow the path of the sun upon completion.{{cite web |url=http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/25731 |title=Mount Signal Solar Is Online: World's Largest Single Axis Solar PV Project |publisher=SustainableBusiness.com |date=23 May 2015}}{{cite web |url=https://cleantechnica.com/2014/05/23/worlds-largest-tracking-solar-pv-plant-completed-california/ |title=World’s Largest Tracking Solar PV Plant Completed In California |date=May 23, 2014 |first=Sophie |last=Vorrath |website=CleanTechnica}} The cost for this first unit was $365million.

Phases two and three consist of 200 MW_p and 328 MW_p of power, respectively, on {{convert|3200|acre}} contracted to Southern California Edison. Phase 2 was commissioned in January 2020,{{cite web |url=https://www.sce.com/NR/sc3/tm2/pdf/3121-E.pdf |title=Submission of Contracts for Procurement of Renewable Energy from SCE's 2013 Renewables Portfolio Standard Solicitation. |date=March 19, 2015 |publisher=Southern California Edition}} while Phase 3 went online in July 2018.{{cite press release |url=http://www.8minutenergy.com/2014/08/8minutenergy-renewables-and-silver-ridge-power-to-build-two-solar-projects-totaling-406-mw-to-provide-power-to-southern-california-edison/ |title=8minutenergy Renewables and Silver Ridge Power to Build Two Solar Projects Totaling 406 MW to Provide Power to Southern California Edison |date=August 4, 2014 |publisher=8minutenergy}}{{cite press release |url=http://www.8minutenergy.com/2017/07/8minutenergy-capital-dynamics-announce-328-mw-mount-signal-3-solar-project/ |title=8minutenergy and Capital Dynamics Announce 328 MW Mount Signal 3 Solar Project |date=July 11, 2017 |publisher=8minutenergy}} Phase 3 consists of 2.8 million Series 4 thin film panels from First Solar.

Project units

The Mount Signal Solar Farm consists of three units, or construction phases:

Mount Signal 1 – a 266 MW_DC (206 MW_AC) solar power station using photovoltaics. Construction on the {{convert|1940|acre|adj=on}} site began in November 2012 and was completed in May 2014.{{cite news |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2012/11/12/8minutenergy-begins-first-phase-of.html |title=8minutenergy begins first phase of 800MW solar project |first=Melanie |last=Turner |date=November 12, 2012 |work=Sacramento Business Journal}}{{cite press release |url=http://www.abengoa.com/web/en/noticias_y_publicaciones/noticias/historico/2014/05_mayo/abg_20140521.html |title=Abengoa completes the construction of the world’s largest single-axis photovoltaic plant |date=May 21, 2014 |publisher=Abengoa}}
Mount Signal 2 – 200 MW_DC (154 MW_AC) solar power station also using photovoltaics on approximately {{convert|1260|acres}} which was commissioned in January 2020.{{Cite web |url=http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_6_03 |title=Table 6.3. New Utility Scale Generating Units by Operating Company, Plant, and Month, 2016, Electric Power Monthly, U.S. Energy Information Administration, October 25, 2016 |access-date=November 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123130309/http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_6_03 |archive-date=November 23, 2016 |url-status=live }}
Mount Signal 3 – a 328 MW_DC (254 MW_AC) solar power station using photovoltaics on {{convert|2000|acres}} completed in July 2018. American solar PV manufacturer [http://www.firstsolar.com First Solar] provided its Series 4 thin-film solar panels for the project, and [http://www.NEXTracker.com NEXTracker] supplied its NX Horizon smart solar tracker systems.[https://cleantechnica.com/2018/07/12/8minutenergy-turns-on-phases-1-2-of-328-megawatt-mount-signal-3-solar-farm/ 8minutenergy Turns On Phases 1 & 2 Of 328 Megawatt Mount Signal 3 Solar Farm], CleanTechnica, Joshua S Hill, July 12, 2018

Electricity production

Mount Signal 1 nameplate capacities: 260 MW_dc, 206 MW_ac

annual net output: 537 GW·h (avg 2015–2017)
capacity factor: 29.7%

Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Total
class=wikitable style="text-align:right; font-size:0.9em; width:1050px;" \|+Generation (MW·h) of Mount Signal 1{{cite web \|url=https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/plant/56917?freq=A&ctype=linechart<ype=pin&pin=&maptype=0&linechart=ELEC.PLANT.GEN.56917-ALL-ALL.A&columnchart=ELEC.PLANT.GEN.56917-ALL-ALL.A \|title=Mount Signal 1, Monthly \|work=Electricity Data Browser \|publisher=Energy Information Administration \|access-date=January 1, 2019}}
2013 \| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| 14,324 \|\| 22,836 ! 37,160
2014 \| 22,740 \|\| 28,996 \|\| 52,995 \|\| 50,216 \|\| 54,049 \|\| 45,771 \|\| 41,333 \|\| 54,391 \|\| 49,421 \|\| 41,741 \|\| 34,314 \|\| 24,588 ! 500,555
2015 \| 26,785 \|\| 36,002 \|\| 48,988 \|\| 54,670 \|\| 57,135 \|\| 57,622 \|\| 58,306 \|\| 56,135 \|\| 41,832 \|\| 40,183 \|\| 32,880 \|\| 28,148 ! 538,685
2016 \| 28,732 \|\| 39,221 \|\| 45,763 \|\| 51,495 \|\| 62,321 \|\| 60,274 \|\| 60,762 \|\| 54,169 \|\| 45,606 \|\| 39,605 \|\| 28,038 \|\| 20,539 ! 536,525
2017 \| 21,264 \|\| 23,751 \|\| 44,398 \|\| 47,373 \|\| 60,412 \|\| 65,437 \|\| 59,589 \|\| 55,128 \|\| 51,371 \|\| 47,328 \|\| 29,254 \|\| 30,779 ! 536,083