NRG Solar says the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System has produced its first output of energy when the Unit 1 station was synced to the power grid for the first time.
NRG Solar says the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System has produced its first output of energy when the Unit 1 station was synced to the power grid for the first time.
Located in California’s Mojave Desert, Ivanpah spans 3,500 acres of public land. Once fully operational, the 392 MW (377 MW net) plant will generate enough electricity to power 140,000 homes annually.
The company says this critical “first sync” is a major milestone for the concentrating solar power (CSP) project, widely seen as a showcase for the technology.
Power generated from Ivanpah’s initial sync testing will go to Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), which has a power purchase agreement (PPA) for energy produced out of the plant’s Unit 1 station. Power generated from Ivanpah’s Unit 3 station is also sold under a PPA with PG&E, while Unit 2 is under a PPA with Southern California Edison.
NRG Solar says proof-of-concept testing will also be conducted at Unit 2 and 3 in the coming months.
