Mesquite Solar project

The Mesquite Solar project is a 400-megawatt (MWAC) photovoltaic power plant in Arlington, Maricopa County, Arizona, owned by Sempra Generation. The project was constructed in 3 phases using more than 2.1 million crystalline silicon solar panels made by Suntech Power.[1][2]

Mesquite Solar project
CountryUnited States
LocationArlington, Arizona
Coordinates33°20′00″N 112°55′00″W
StatusOperational
Owner(s)Sempra Generation
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Site area9.3 square kilometres (3.6 sq mi), 2300acres
Power generation
Units operational2.13 million
Make and modelSuntech
Nameplate capacity400 MWAC
Capacity factor32.3% (average 2017-2019)
Annual net output1,133 GW·h, 493 MW·h/acre

Project details

Construction of Phase 1 over a 3.6 km2 site adjacent the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station began in 2011 and was completed in January 2013.[3][4] It has a nameplate capacity of 150 megawatts (MW) that is contracted through a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).[5] The EPC contractor was Zachry Holdings.[6] Phase 1 cost about $600 million, is projected to generate more than 350 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually (an average of about 40 MW), and will offset roughly 200,000 tons of carbon emissions each year.[6][7]

Mesquite Solar One (August 2012)

Phase 2 (100MW) and Phase 3 (150MW) were both completed in December 2016.[8][9][10] The panels are mounted on single-axis trackers to increase electricity production.

Electricity production
Total Facility Generation
(Annual Sum from All Units Below)
YearTotal Annual MW·h
2011 2,956
2012 233,105
2013 413,611
2014 408,218
2015 397,599
2016 442,565
2017 1,145,231
2018 1,145,816
2019 1,109,029
Average (2017-2019) 1,133,359
Generation (MW·h) of Mesquite Solar 1 (150MW)[11]
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2011 1,7111,245 2,956
2012 6,8308,26110,84814,72920,30020,71722,78426,07025,06027,80925,00824,689 233,105
2013 26,89731,20335,69837,96339,75139,48738,11336,26135,48938,80627,36226,581 413,611
2014 29,46628,57039,15740,08442,76540,30437,13835,71734,45132,62727,23620,703 408,218
2015 20,02930,90537,08940,47440,41937,68935,96236,96733,28531,13929,19924,442 397,599
2016 23,91932,35036,41237,32142,44239,30938,86938,06933,66034,75328,32122,825 408,250
2017 18,96823,12739,54243,04845,89651,62831,94339,42540,51337,18422,09620,363 413,734
2018 23,59825,23432,58038,78648,92547,77442,20242,71341,10629,40625,48217,198 415,004
2019 21,51921,21533,84340,24442,17947,75242,11345,61236,74737,82521,33816,959 407,345
Generation (MW·h) of Mesquite Solar 2 (100MW with tracking) [12]
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2016 13,255 13,255
2017 15,01616,79426,69829,17631,99232,48629,49028,68126,39223,85715,27515,040 290,897
2018 17,20118,56924,48428,56232,73931,72929,46129,07526,01516,89115,90014,396 285,023
2019 16,09014,28019,91621,34022,98330,94129,65629,89823,63423,72313,6159,971 256,047
Generation (MW·h) of Mesquite Solar 3 (150MW with tracking) [13]
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2016 21,060 21,060
2017 22,67325,70540,55843,98548,95249,97844,17443,44739,84635,67023,42522,187 440,600
2018 25,67828,45038,98443,51750,60948,20344,81744,34239,83031,77727,68421,898 445,789
2019 25,46026,61338,07043,41047,86948,93845,48345,65239,16539,10925,77220,096 445,637

See also

References
  1. Wesoff, Eric (February 3, 2011). "Suntech to Supply 800,000 PV Panels for Sempra's Mesquite 1". Greentech Media. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
  2. Woody, Todd (February 4, 2011). "Arizona Solar Plant Picks Chinese Supplier". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
  3. "Sempra Generation Mesquite Solar Phase 1". Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  4. Sempra Completes first phase of Mesquite Solar Project
  5. "Sempra Generation Contracts With PG&E for 150 MW of Solar Power". CNNMoney.com. October 12, 2010. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  6. "Sempra Generation Selects Suntech and Zachry for Landmark Arizona Solar Power Plant". Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. February 3, 2011. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
  7. Goossens, Ehren (February 3, 2011). "Sempra Buying Suntech Panels for 150-Megawatt Solar Project". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2011-02-06. Scott Crider, a Sempra Generation spokesman, would not give a price for the Mesquite project. Photovoltaic “projects can range from $3.5 to $5.5 million per megawatt, that’s the general industry standard,” he said in an interview.
  8. "Sempra Generation Mesquite Solar Phase 2". Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  9. "Sempra Generation Mesquite Solar Phase 3". Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  10. Table 6.3. New Utility Scale Generating Units by Operating Company, Plant, Month, and Year, Electric Power Monthly, U.S. Energy Information Administration, February 24, 2017
  11. "Mesquite Solar 1, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  12. "Mesquite Solar 2, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  13. "Mesquite Solar 3, Monthly". Electricity Data Browser. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
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