The United States added a staggering 3.3 gigawatts of solar power capacity in 2012, according to GTM Research.
To put the scale of solar power’s rapid and relentless expansion in perspective, the solar power capacity added in 2012 was greater than all of the solar power capacity added for the three previous years combined.
If you’re not impressed yet, consider the swell of super-sized solar energy projects scheduled to come online in the US over the next few years.
Indeed, nine of the top 10 largest solar power projects currently under development are located in the US, according to SolarPlaza.
First Solar, the Tempe, AZ-based solar manufacturing giant, is developing three of the largest solar power farms in the world currently under construction – the Topaz Solar Farm in San Luis Obispo County, CA, the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm in Riverside County, CA, and the Agua Caliente Solar Project in Yuma County, AZ. These three projects alone will have a combined capacity of nearly one and a half gigawatts of electric power when they are completed.
Like First Solar, Sempra Generation and SunPower also have mega scale solar projects in the pipeline in California and Arizona.
AV Solar Ranch One Capacity: 230 MW Developer: First Solar Location: Antelope Valley,CA.
Desert Sunlight Solar Farm Capacity: 550 MW Developer: First Solar Location: Riverside County, CA.
California Valley Solar Ranch Capacity: 250 MW Developer: SunPower Location: Riverside County, CA.
Topaz Solar Farm Capacity: 550 MW Developer: First Solar Location: Carrisa Plains, CA.
Imperial Solar Energy Center South Capacity: 130 MW Developer: Tenaska Solar Ventures Location: Imperial County, CA.
Mesquite Solar Ranch One Capacity: 150 MW Developer: Sempra Generation Location: Arlington, AZ.
Copper Mountain Solar Two Capacity: 150 MW Developer: Sempra Generation Location: Boulder City, NV.
Sorrento Solar Farm Capacity: 100 MW Developer: BlueChip Energy Location: Orlando, FL.
Vega Solar Power Plant Capacity: 123 MW Developer: Solarhybrid AG Location: Vega, Italy.
| Name | Developer | Capacity (MW) | Country | Module Type | ||
| 1. | Topaz Solar Farm | First Solar | 550 | USA | CdTe | |
| 2. | Desert Sunlight Solar Farm | First Solar | 550 | USA | CdTe | |
| 3. | Agua Caliente Solar Project | First Solar | 290 | USA | CdTe | |
| 4. | California Valley Solar Ranch | SunPower | 250 | USA | c-Si | |
| 5. | AV Solar Ranch One | First Solar | 230 | USA | CdTe | |
| 6. | Mesquite Solar Ranch one | Sempra U.S. Gas & Power | 150 | USA | PV | |
| 7. | Copper Mountain Solar two | Sempra U.S. Gas & Power | 150 | USA | CdTe | |
| 8. |
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Tenaska Solar Ventures | 130 | USA | CdTe | |
| 9. | Vega Solar Power Plant | Solarhybrid AG | 123 | Italy | PV | |
| 10. | Sorrento Solar Farm | BlueChip Energy | 100 | USA | PV |
Please scroll down or click here for the Top 20 of the Largest solar PV projects under construction . Companies that feel they should be included in these lists are invited to contact us and provide the public information source.
http://www.solarplaza.com/Top10-worlds-largest-solar-projects-under-construction/
