Arizona Taps Sun's Heat for More Power

摘要

An Arizona electricity utility has teamed with an international company to build a solar power plant of unprecedented size. Instead of using photovoltaic panels to absorb sunlight, however, the plant will employ long rows of mirrors to redirect the sun's rays. The Solana Generating Station, as the plant is called, will be located in Gila Bend, Arizona, just 70 mi (110 km) southwest of Phoenix. The $l-billion plant will have a capacity of 280 MW, enough to provide electricity to some 70,000 homes. If it were built today, it would be the largest solar power plant in the world. Abengoa Solar, of Lakewood, Colorado-a subsidiary of Abengoa, a technology company headquartered in Spain-will build, own, and operate the facility. The utility, Phoenix-based Arizona Public Service (aps), has agreed to purchase the energy generated by the plant over a period of 30 years for approximately $4 billion.