SunPower expands California solar plant scale to 250MW

April 30, 2010

SunPower Corp is increasing the size of a huge solar photovoltaic power plant it is proposing in California to 250 megawatts output.

The California Valley Solar Ranch is expected to be one of the largest solar photovoltaic plants in the world when complete.

SunPower said it will build the facility in stages, with hopes for the first state to begin operations in 2011.

The company based in San Jose, Calif, has extended its deal with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), which had originally been to develop 210MW of capacity.

It said its original permit had taken account of the additional 40MW capacity, so that plant would not need fresh consent from the county.

Visibility

Howard Wenger, president of SunPower’s utilities and power plants business group, said: “The California Valley Solar Ranch will generate pollution-free solar power that is competitive with new, conventional peak power. Our incremental 40-MW agreement with PG&E provides more visibility into our power plant pipeline in 2011 and beyond.”

SunPower said it has revised “several aspects” of the project’s design to minimize environmental impacts and improve its visual impact, in response to feedback from the local community.

This has included reducing traffic during the construction period as well as additional measures to protect local wildlife.

The California Valley Solar Ranch is still subject to a number of factors including receipt of all required permits, completion of transmission upgrades and financing, SunPower said.