California plans world's largest solar farm

Solar energy specialist OptiSolar yesterday revealed plans to build the world's largest solar farm at a site in California stretching over nearly ten square miles.

If planning approval is granted the 550MW facility will be some 40 times larger than the biggest solar farm in operation today and is expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately 190,000 homes.

The company said that the plant would make a major contribution to California meeting its goal of meeting a third of its power requirements from renewable sources by 2020.

Unlike most current large scale solar plants, which rely on solar thermal systems designed to heat water and drive turbines, OptiSolar said it will install vast fields of photovoltaic solar panels that generate power directly through semiconductors on the panel's surface.

Although photovoltaic solar panels are currently less efficient than solar thermal systems, OptiSolar claims that its thin-film solar cells are significantly more cost effective as they require less expensive silicon during manufacture, consume little water, and require far less maintenance than turbine based systems.

The company said it intends to submit an application for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) in May. Should permission be granted construction is targeted to begin in 2010, with the facility expected to be completed within three years.