Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant

Summary

Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant near Sarnia, Ontario, is Canada's largest photovoltaic plant with an installed capacity of 97 MWP (80 MWAC).[2][3][4][5]

Sarnia Solar Project
Map
Official nameSarnia Solar Project
CountryCanada
LocationSarnia, Ontario
Coordinates42°56′16″N 82°20′30″W / 42.93778°N 82.34167°W / 42.93778; -82.34167
StatusOperational
Commission dateDecember 2009
Construction cost$400 Million
Owner(s)Enbridge
Operator(s)First Solar O&M
Solar farm
TypeFlat-panel PV
Site area450 hectares (1,100 acres)
Power generation
Units operational1,300,000
Nameplate capacity80 MWAC
Capacity factor17.1%[1]
Annual net output120 GWh
External links
CommonsRelated media on Commons

In 2009, Ontario introduced a feed-in tariff renewable energy payments program paying up to CDN 44.3 cents per kW·h for large ground arrays such as the Sarnia plant.[6] This makes Ontario's one of the top feed in tariff programs in the world.

Phase I (for 20 MW) was completed in December 2009.[7] Phase II (60 MW) was completed in September 2010 at a cost of C$300 million.[8][9] The project was developed by Enbridge.[10]

First Solar developed, engineered, and constructed the facility, and it will operate the Sarnia Solar Project for Enbridge under a long-term contract. Enbridge will sell the power output of the facility to the Ontario Power Authority pursuant to 20-year power purchase agreements under the terms of the Ontario government's Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program.

The plant covers 450 hectares (1,100 acres) and contains about 257 ha (635 acres) of modules,[11] which is about 1.3 million thin-film panels. At the completion of Phase II it was the largest solar power station in the world,[12] a title it held until the 2011 opening of Huanghe Hydropower Golmud Solar Park in China. The expected annual energy yield is about 120,000 MW·h, which if produced in a coal-fired plant, would require emission of 39,000 tonnes of CO2.

Timeline of the largest PV power stations in the world
Year(a) Name of PV power station Country Capacity
MW
1982 Lugo United States 1
1985 Carrisa Plain United States 5.6
2005 Bavaria Solarpark (Mühlhausen) Germany 6.3
2006 Erlasee Solar Park Germany 11.4
2008 Olmedilla Photovoltaic Park Spain 60
2010 Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant Canada 97
2011 Huanghe Hydropower Golmud Solar Park China 200
2012 Agua Caliente Solar Project United States 290
2014 Topaz Solar Farm(b) United States 550
2015 Longyangxia Dam Solar Park China 850
2016 Tengger Desert Solar Park China 1547
2019 Pavagada Solar Park India 2050
2020 Bhadla Solar Park India 2245
Also see list of photovoltaic power stations and list of noteworthy solar parks
(a) year of final commissioning (b) capacity given in  MWAC otherwise in MWDC

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Enbridge Income Fund Assets – Green Power
  2. ^ "Enbridge completes Sarnia solar farm". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 October 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  3. ^ Sarnia Solar Farm
  4. ^ CPS Energy ratchets up investment in solar
  5. ^ Large-Scale PV Power Plants - Top50
  6. ^ FIT program overview retrieved 2011 03 02
  7. ^ Enbridge and First Solar Agree on 60 MW Renewable Energy Expansion at Sarnia
  8. ^ Sarnia Project Celebration
  9. ^ pvresources. Retrieved 6 September 2010
  10. ^ eXenewable Project Profile Page - Sarnia, PV, Canada
  11. ^ "Photovoltaic power stations - site footprints". Wiki-Solar. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  12. ^ Sarnia Becomes Largest PV Farm