Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) announced a 280 megawatt power solar power system today that will help power 70,000 APS customers. 
The plant is scheduled to provide renewable energy beginning in 2011. Spanish for “sunny place,” Solana will not emit greenhouse gases and will provide APS with more solar electricity per customer than any utility in the U.S. The facility also would be the largest solar power plant in the world if in operation today.
APS will purchase 100 percent of the plant’s energy output, pending approval from the Arizona Corporation Commission. The value of the produced energy will be about $4 billion over 30 years.
Unlike traditional solar-photovoltaic plants, which use direct sunlight to produce electricity, concentrating solar power uses the sun’s heat. Parabolic mirrors track the sun and focus solar energy on a heat transfer fluid. Once heated, the liquid converts water into steam, which turns the plant’s turbines to create electricity. This technology allows the plant to produce more energy for customers than a traditional solar power plant which only produces electricity when exposed to direct sunlight.
Solana Generating Station will create about 1,500 construction jobs and, when completed, will employ about 85 highly-skilled technicians. APS and Abengoa Solar estimate the project will bring more than $1 billion in economic benefits to the state of Arizona.
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Well I’m happy someone is acually taking action. I’m a little disturbed that APS had to give the project a Hispanic name. Already feel invaded as it is.