Austin proposes nation's largest solar array

[KevinFromTexas]

This would be the largest solar array in the US and the 6th largest in the world.

http://www.statesman.com/news/conten...0129solar.html

Austin proposes nation's largest solar array
Cost of power from 30-megawatt plant raises concerns among city's manufacturers.

By Marty Toohey
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Thursday, January 29, 2009



Austin could soon have one of the largest solar power facilities in the world.

Austin Energy, the city's electric utility, wants to set aside 300 acres it owns outside Webberville in eastern Travis County for a solar array, which would be built and owned by San Francisco-based Gemini Solar Development Co. Austin Energy would be the exclusive client and pay $10 million a year for 25 years for the power generated by the array.

The facility would open in late 2010 and produce enough energy annually to power up to 5,000 homes.

It would also raise the monthly electricity bill of an average Austin homeowner, who uses 1,000 kilowatt-hours, by an estimated 60 cents, according to Austin Energy. And it has generated concern among some of Austin's large manufacturers, who say the plant could raise their bills substantially.

[austin242]

Wow who would of thought that texas would have been the leader in both wind and solar energy. If this is built we will have both the biggest wind farm in the U.S and the biggest Solar aray in the U.S. Everything is Bigger in TEXAS

[DJM19]

Isnt Nevada Solar One a 64 MW facility?

And isn't the proposed Ivanpah facility 392 MW?

I guess these are not solar arrays, but solar-thermal. Still its the same in principle, no?

[AusHou]

I was wondering initially about the cost effectiveness since Austin has a relatively high percentage of cloudiness overall compared with the other areas shown on the map. Maybe it's mainly beneficial during the summer, when the amount of sunny skies is at its greatest? I'm sure the developers took all that into consideration and figured that it would be cost effective.

Any experts here who can comment?

[KevinFromTexas]

There is another solar plant planned for Austin's metro. This one would be the largest in the US, and tied for largest in the world with that one in Spain. This would mean the Austin area would have the two largest solar plants in the US. One would be tied for largest in the world and the other one would be the 7th largest in the world. And they would be about 25 miles apart.

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/..._ece_frontpage

Solar farm proposed for Pflugerville area
Facility would be largest solar array in the country.

By Asher Price
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Published: 10:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 6, 2010

A startup solar energy company with corporate backing from India has won tax breaks from the City of Pflugerville and is near a similar agreement with the Elgin school district to build a 60-megawatt solar plant.

The plant would be large enough to provide electricity to all the homes in Pflugerville and, if it were built today, would be the largest in the United States.

RRE Austin Solar could break ground by the end of the summer on the $230 million plant on 600 or so acres of rural land about a dozen miles east of Pflugerville. But before the company moves forward, it wants tax breaks from Travis County.

[KevinFromTexas]

That article was from July, but just today they had an update on the news about it. Apparently they're getting closer to building it.

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/dpp/top_s...20101005-ktbcw

FOXe Report: Central TX Solar Farm

Updated: Tuesday, 05 Oct 2010, 6:28 PM CDT
Published : Tuesday, 05 Oct 2010, 6:28 PM CDT

The largest solar farm in the world will soon be located in between Pflugerville and Elgin.

It will contain 400,000 panels and cover an area the size of 500 football fields. It will generate enough electricity to power 30,000 homes.

[austin242]

They are now saying it will be the largest Solar Farm In THE WORLD. 60 megawatts according to the guy on fox news.

[KevinFromTexas]

Yeah, but there's one in Spain that it would be tied with. Technically it would be the largest, but tied with that one for that title.