World's largest single-axis photovoltaic plant completed
Abengoa has completed construction of Mount Signal Solar, the 206 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic plant in the city of Calexico, south east of California.
Abengoa was responsible for the engineering, construction and commissioning of the plant for Silver Ridge Power, one of the largest photovoltaic operators in the world. The project covers 801 hectares and includes more than three million photovoltaic modules that rotate on a north-south axis tracking the path of the sun.
The plant will generate enough solar power to supply 72,000 households in San Diego and its surrounding area, preventing the emission of 356,000 tons of CO2/year into the atmosphere. The company will not retain an interest in the constructed assets.
During the construction process, Abengoa signed agreements with various local firms in order to boost economic development in the region. At its peak, the project created more than 700 direct jobs in the area, most of which were filled by local people. The company constructed and commissioned the plant in a record 16 months.
Abengoa is currently carrying out various projects in the USA, which accounts for 28 percent of its business. These include Solana, the world's largest parabolic trough plant that has been operating since last year; Mojave, a 280 MW solar-thermal plant that will be operating mid-2014; and a new photovoltaic project in California for EDP Renovaveis.
The completion of this latest project will further consolidate the company's leadership position in solar power and will join the other projects that Abengoa is operating and developing in other countries such as South Africa, Chile, Israel, Spain, Morocco, Algeria and the United Arab Emirates.
