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Solana Generating Station

{{Short description|Solar thermal power station in Arizona}}

{{Infobox power station

| name = Solana Generating Station Project

| image = Abengoa Solar (7336111844).jpg

| image_caption = The project's array of parabolic mirrors

| country = United States

| location = Maricopa County, Arizona

| coordinates = {{coord|32|55|N|112|58|W|region:US-AZ_type:landmark_dim:100km|display=inline,title}}

| construction_began = December 2010

| cost = US$2 billion

| owner = Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure{{cite web| title = Our Assets| url = https://www.atlantica.com/web/en/company-overview/our-assets/| work = Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure (was Atlantica/Abengoa Yield)| date = 2 November 2015| access-date = 2 November 2015}}
Liberty Interactive Corporation

| operator = Arizona Solar One LLC

| status = o

| solar_type = csp

| solar_csp_technology = P

| solar_concentration =

| solar_collectors = 3,232

| solar_collectors_area = {{convert|2233958|sqm|acre}}

| ps_site_area = {{convert|1920|acres|ha}}

| solar_site_resource =

| ps_units_operational = 2

| ps_units_manu_model = Siemens{{cite web| title = Solana Project Description| url = http://www.atlanticayield.com/web/en/company-overview/our-assets/asset/Solana-00001/| work= Atlantica Yield (was Abengoa Yield)| access-date = 7 March 2016}}

| ps_electrical_capacity = 250

| ps_storage_capacity = 1,500 MW·he

| ps_electrical_cap_fac = 33.9% (2016-2020)

| ps_annual_generation = 742

| website = [https://www.atlantica.com/web/en/company-overview/our-assets/asset/Solana/ www.atlantica.com]

| commissioned = 2013

| decommissioned =

}}

The Solana Generating Station is a solar power plant near Gila Bend, Arizona, about {{convert|70|mi}} southwest of Phoenix. It was completed in 2013. When commissioned, it was the largest parabolic trough plant in the world, and the first U.S. solar plant with molten salt thermal energy storage.Mearian, Lucas. [http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9243140/U.S._flips_switch_on_massive_solar_power_array_that_also_stores_electricity U.S. flips switch on massive solar power array that also stores electricity: The array is first large U.S. solar plant with a thermal energy storage system], October 10, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2013. Built by the Spanish company Abengoa Solar, the project can produce up to 280 megawatts (MW) gross, supplied by two 140 MW gross (125 MW net) steam turbine generators: enough electricity to meet the needs of approximately 70,000 homes and obviate the emission of roughly 475,000 tons of CO2 every year.{{cite web

| url=http://www.abengoasolar.com/web/en/plantas_solares/plantas_para_terceros/estados_unidos/index.html#seccion_1

| title=Solana, the largest parabolic trough plant in the world

| access-date=2015-11-02

| publisher=Abengoa}} Its name is the Spanish term for "sunny spot".[http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=solana "Solana" in wordreference.com]

Technology

The plant employs a proprietary concentrating solar power (CSP) trough technology developed by Abengoa, and covers an area of {{convert|1920|acres}}. Construction was expected to create about 1,500 construction jobs with the plant employing 85 full-time workers.[http://www.cleanedge.com/resources/news/Abengoa%20to%20Build%20280MW%20Concentrating%20Solar%20Power%20Plant%20in%20Arizona Abengoa to Build 280MW Concentrating Solar Power Plant in Arizona] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019110424/http://www.cleanedge.com/resources/news/Abengoa%20to%20Build%20280MW%20Concentrating%20Solar%20Power%20Plant%20in%20Arizona |date=2013-10-19 }}, CleanEdge.com website, February 21, 2008.Lavelle, Marianne. [https://www.usnews.com/articles/business/technology/2008/02/21/big-solar-project-planned-for-arizona-desert.html Big Solar Project Planned for Arizona Desert: $1 billion installation would use parabolic mirrors to generate power southwest of Phoenix] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828031437/http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/technology/2008/02/21/big-solar-project-planned-for-arizona-desert.html |date=2009-08-28 }}, U.S. News & World Report, February 21, 2008. Solar thermal plants use substantially more water for cooling than other solar generating technologies. Nevertheless, the Sierra Club supported the Solana plant, because it was built on private land, and was projected to use "75 to 85 percent less water than the current agricultural use."

{{cite web |url=https://wrrc.arizona.edu/publications/awr/arizona-water-resource-september-october-2008 |title=Clean, Green Solar Power Falls Short in Achieving Water Efficiency |last=Gelt | first= Joe | date=2008 |type=Arizona Water Resource, vol. 17, no. 1, 16pp., Water Resources Research Center, Tucson, AZ, Autumn 2008 |work=Arizona Water Resource |publisher= University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences |access-date=2008-12-04

}}

Economics

Arizona Public Service (APS) has contracted to purchase 100% of the power output generated from Solana, to meet the Arizona Corporation Commission's (ACC) mandate that the state's regulated utilities provide 15% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025. APS will pay about 14 cents per kWh.{{cite news | url= http://archive.azcentral.com/business/articles/0221biz-solar0221.html | title= Plant to brighten state's solar future | last= Randazzo | first= Ryan | date= February 21, 2008 | work= The Arizona Republic | access-date= 2009-06-08 }}

The Solana plant was originally planned to open in 2011 and was estimated to cost $2 billion.{{cite news | url = http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/07/03/20100703biz-abengoa0704-ONL.html | title = Arizona solar plant gets big boost from feds | last = Randazzo | first= Ryan | date= July 3, 2010 | work= The Arizona Republic | access-date = 2010-07-03 }}

In December 2010, Abengoa received a $1.45 billion loan guarantee to support construction of the plant.{{cite web | url = http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2010/12/21/abengoa-closes-1-45-billion-federal-loan-guarantee-for-arizona-solar-farm/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101224161323/http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2010/12/21/abengoa-closes-1-45-billion-federal-loan-guarantee-for-arizona-solar-farm/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = December 24, 2010 | title = Abengoa closes $1.45 billion federal loan guarantee for Arizona solar farm | date = Dec 21, 2010 | work = Reuters }}

Energy storage

File:Abengoa Solar (7336087392).jpg

One of the principal advantages of concentrated solar thermal (CST) is that thermal energy storage can be provided efficiently,Wright, matthew; Hearps, Patrick; et al. [http://media.bze.org.au/ZCA2020_Stationary_Energy_Report_v1.pdf Australian Sustainable Energy: Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305124135/http://media.bze.org.au/ZCA2020_Stationary_Energy_Report_v1.pdf |date=2021-03-05 }}, Energy Research Institute, University of Melbourne, October 2010, p. 33. Retrieved from BeyondZeroEmissions.org website. so that output can be provided after the sun goes down, and output can be scheduled to meet demand requirements.[http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/3272/innovation-in-concentrating-thermal-solar-power-csp/ Innovation in Concentrating Thermal Solar Power (CSP)], RenewableEnergyFocus.com website. The Solana Generating Station is designed to provide six hours of energy storage. This allows the plant to generate about 38 percent of its rated capacity over the course of a year.[http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2013/10/solana_10_facts_you_didnt_know.php Solana: 10 Facts You Didn't Know About the Concentrated Solar Power Plant Near Gila Bend]

Production

Solana Generating Station's production is as follows, averaging 742 GW·h annual, yielding about 390 MW·h/acre.{{cite web |url=https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/plant/56812 |title=Solana Generating Station, Monthly |work=Electricity Data Browser |publisher=Energy Information Administration |access-date=February 2, 2023}}

class=wikitable style="text-align:right; font-size:0.9em;"

|+Generation (MW·h) of Solana Generating Station

YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2013

| || || || || || || || || 0 || 45,230 || 23,839 || 20,179

! 89,248

2014

| 29,945 || 31,825 || 49,358 || 50,325 || 75,221 || 78,231 || 59,276 || 52,191 || 63,406 || 62,693 || 33,735 || 17,361

! 603,567

2015

| 12,165 || 27,259 || 51,698 || 82,237 || 88,122 || 91,097 || 86,217 || 91,475 || 63,135 || 49,469 || 46,262 || 29,707

! 718,843

2016

| 33,173 || 37,399 || 51,744 || 57,353 || 88,255 || 88,994 || 84,981 || 42,855 || 51,387 || 50,595 || 35,073 || 21,861

! 643,670

2017

| 22,550 || 34,934 || 78,837 || 89,629 || 86,648 || 115,921 || 23,376 || 63,812 || 81,571 || 72,194 || 30,596 || 23,898

! 723,966

2018

| 33,078 || 38,661 || 48,242 || 68,419 || 106,877 || 106,604 || 87,204 || 87,032 || 90,027 || 54,029 || 41,303 || 14,537

! 776,013

2019

| 29,041 || 26,957 || 61,997 || 88,945 || 91,002 || 111,993 || 89,483 || 99,268 || 71,398 || 76,043 || 25,171 || 20,344

! 791,642

2020

| 36,881 || 48,874 || 54,253 || 86,121 || 93,620 || 87,416 || 87,894 || 80,561 || 69,190 || 64,892 || 36,296 || 29,706

! 775,704

2021

|31,755 || 49,018 || 63,361 || 72,935 || 93,529 || 84,753 || 51,704 || 69,147 || 61,726 || 56,456 || 38,140 || 22,045

! 694,569

2022

|27,276 || 33,320 || 60,001 || 77,812 || 90,752 || 86,385 || 65,401 || 72,113 || 68,446 || 67,573 || 24,905 || 21,661

! 695,645

2023

|23,713 || 32,892 || 49,085 || 87,941 || 95,552 || 105,457 || 87,937 || 79,071 || 75,596 || 71,022 || 39,102 || 27,355

! 774,723

colspan=13|Total (2013-2023)7,287,590

Maximum annual electricity production was projected at 900,000 MW·h (900 GW·h), as calculated using the project's and NREL specific capacity factors.{{cite web

|url=https://www.energy.gov/lpo/solana

|url-status=live

|title=Solana

|year=2010

|department=Loan Programs Office

|website=www.energy.gov

|agency=U.S. Department of Energy

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503200708/https://www.energy.gov/lpo/solana

|archive-date=3 May 2019

|access-date=12 September 2019

|quote=Solana is expected to generate 900,000 megawatt-hours of clean energy per year}}

In 2020, Solana Generating Station has averaged 82.4% of the projected production value. Nearby photovoltaic power station Agua Caliente, covering a larger site area of 2400 acres, had a Loan Programs Office projected generation of only 559 GW·h (instead yielding an average real 727 GW·h production).

Operations issues

The plant opened in 2014 and has experienced some problems since its opening. In the summer of 2017, the plant had two transformer fires.{{Cite news|url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/arizonas-solana-solar-plant-transformer-fires-more-air-pollution-9640548|title=Dark Clouds — Transformer Fires and Air Pollution — Continue to Follow Solana Power Plant|last=Stern|first=Ray|date=2017-08-30|work=Phoenix New Times|access-date=2017-09-07}} Maricopa County environmental officials questioned whether the plant violated air pollution standards, and in 2016, fined the plant $1.5 million for violations of air quality standards. According to the Phoenix New Times, "The plant’s parent company, a subsidiary of Abengoa called Atlantica Yield, downplayed the issues, and a company representative said that better times are likely ahead."

According to government documents, the plant is expected to produce 900,000 MWh every year. This amount of electricity could power about 65,000 typical homes in Arizona. However, the plant produced only 600,000 MWh in its first full year of operation, according to information from the Federal Energy Information Administration. In 2015, the output increased to 700,000 MWh. In the summer of 2017, a microburst "knocked out the plant that July." but notwithstanding that, generation reached 723,966 MWh.

A CSP thermal power block is like that of a coal or gas-fired plant, except its fuel is sunlight and require up to four years to ramp-up to 100% operating level.{{Cite web

|url=https://www.solarpaces.org/spains-concentrated-solar-thermal-power-performed/

|title=How Has Spain's Concentrated Solar Thermal Power Performed?

|last=Kraemer|first=Susan|date=30 November 2017

|website=www.solarpaces.org

|publisher=SolarPACES

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102053811/https://www.solarpaces.org/spains-concentrated-solar-thermal-power-performed/

|archive-date=2 January 2019

|access-date=22 September 2019}}[https://eu.azcentral.com/story/money/business/2015/06/16/large-solar-fails-energy-capacity/28795197/ Large solar plant fails to reach its energy capacity]{{cite web |title=EuroTrough Helped Cut Ramp-Up Time of China's 100 MW Urat CSP |url=https://www.solarpaces.org/eurotrough-cut-ramp-up-in-china-100-mw-urat-csp%E2%80%A8

|website=www.solarpaces.org |publisher=SolarPACES |url-status= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219113434/https://www.solarpaces.org/eurotrough-cut-ramp-up-in-china-100-mw-urat-csp%E2%80%A8 |archive-date=19 December 2021 |access-date=8 February 2022 |quote=... thermal plants require up to four years to ramp-up to 100% operating level...}}

See also

{{stack|{{Portal|Arizona|Renewable energy}}}}

References

{{reflist|33em}}

Further reading

External links

{{Commons category|Solana Generating Station}}

  • {{cite web

|url = http://www.abengoasolar.com/web/en/nuestras_plantas/plantas_en_construccion/estados_unidos/#seccion_1

|title = Solana Generating Station Project

|publisher = Abengoa Solar Inc.

|access-date = 2008-12-04

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130619041035/http://www.abengoasolar.com/web/en/nuestras_plantas/plantas_en_construccion/estados_unidos/#seccion_1

|archive-date = 2013-06-19

}}

  • {{cite web

| url = http://www.aps.com/solana

| title = APS :: Solana - Arizona's Largest Solar Power Plant

|publisher= Arizona Public Service (APS)

| access-date = 2008-12-04 }}

  • [http://www.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id=11606?print Arizona Utility to Buy Power from a 280-Megawatt Solar Power Plant]
  • {{cite web

| url= https://solarpaces.nrel.gov/solana-generating-station

| title= Solana Generating Station | date= February 23, 2013

| work= Concentrating Solar Power Projects

| publisher= National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

| access-date= 2019-09-12 }}

{{Solar power in the United States}}

{{Generating stations in Arizona}}

Category:Solar power stations in Arizona

Category:Buildings and structures in Maricopa County, Arizona

Category:Solar thermal energy