World Power PlantsWorld Power Plants

Westside Solar Station15 MW Solar

SolarRenewable

Westside Solar Station is a 15 MW solar power plant in the United States, operated by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. since 2011. Ranked #482 of 3289 solar plants in the United States. This plant's capacity of 15 MW accounts for 0.04% of the country's total solar capacity of 40,823 MW. The largest solar facility in the United States is the Sandstone Solar Energy Project at 2,000 MW, making Westside Solar Station 133.3 times smaller. Nearby plants include RE Tranquillity (205.3 MW, Solar), Great Valley Solar Portfolio Holdings LLC (202.5 MW, Solar), and Malaga Power LLC (121 MW, Gas). The facility is located in California's Central Valley, approximately 50 km southwest of Fresno.

Capacity
15 MW
Commissioning Year
2011

15 years old

Owner
Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
Location
36.3787°, -120.1249°

United States of America, North America

Location
Coordinates:: 36.378700, -120.124900
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Technical Details
Primary Fuel Type
Solar
Energy Source
Renewable
Country
United States of America
Continent
North America
Data Source
Global Power Plant Database
United States of AmericaEnergy Profile
10,047
Total Plants
1386.4 GW
Total Capacity
GasCoalNuclearHydro
Top Fuels
An Overview of Solar Power Generation as a Sustainable Energy Source

Solar power generation harnesses the sun's energy using photovoltaic (PV) cells or solar thermal systems to produce electricity. The basic principle of solar power generation involves converting sunlight into usable energy. When sunlight hits a PV cell, it excites electrons in the semiconductor material, generating an electric current. This process is known as the photovoltaic effect. Solar thermal systems, on the other hand, use sunlight to heat a fluid that, in turn, produces steam to drive a turbine and generate electricity. Both methods provide a clean and renewable energy source that is gaining significant traction worldwide.

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