World's Largest Solar Power Station Planned For California  

While our government keeps hankering for a return to the 1950s, California is moving ahead and building the world's largest solar energy plant. Interestingly, they've chosen to use solar concentration rather than photvoltaic technology.

Southern California Edison announced plans for the world's largest solar energy facility near Victorville.

When complete, the 4,500-acre solar generating station will be capable of producing more electricity than all other U.S. solar projects combined, officials with Southern California Edison said Tuesday. The plant is designed to have an hourly output of 500 megawatts, making it the most powerful alternative energy source in the nation.

The plant is to be built and owned by Stirling Energy Systems of Phoenix, which will install 20,000 solar collection dishes, each 37 feet in diameter. Southern California Edison will purchase the electricity generated by the plant. Officials declined to say exactly where the solar field will be or just how much the facility will cost.

A deal between SCE and Stirling was reached when the nation's leading purchaser of renewable energy signed a 20-year commitment to buy all energy output by Stirling.

The deal marked the largest in solar energy's 20-year history and what an industry veteran classified as a major endorsement from large power companies of the renewable energy industry.

"At a time of rising fossil fuel costs and increased concern about greenhouse-gas emissions, the Stirling project would provide enough clean power to serve 278,000 homes for the entire year," SCE Chairman John Bryson said.