Agua Caliente Solar Project

Project Overview

The Agua Caliente Solar Project, located 65 miles east of the city of Yuma, Arizona, is a 290MW AC PV solar plant. First Solar designed, built and will operate and maintain the facility for owners NRG Energy and BHE Renewables. During construction, the site employed a daily average of 400 to 450 workers.

Project Benefits

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

• Power for 100,000 average homes
• Displaces 220,000 tons of CO₂ annually—equivalent to taking 40,000 cars off the road
• Lowest environmental impact of any PV technology
• No water used for electricity generation

COMMUNITY BENEFITS

• Wages and benefits from up to 400 construction jobs over four-year period
• Increased state and local tax revenues
• Local benefits to businesses in the area, from engineering and design firms to construction subcontractors, supplier, and service providers

Community Commitment

First Solar is committed to being a good neighbor. First Solar will continue to engage the community, educational institutions, environmental groups, and business organizations to ensure that the Agua Caliente Solar Project is a valued and respected business in Yuma County. The project will provide employment opportunities for local residents both during construction and after the commencement of full-time operations. First Solar expects to build partnerships with local community organizations and educational institutions with an emphasis on green technology and environmental sustainability.

Advanced Plant Features

Agua Caliente is one of the first PV plants of its size to be connected to a 500kV transmission line and employs First Solar’s industry-leading grid integration and plant control system, which is critical for managing grid reliability and stability. The plant can also be controlled remotely from First Solar’s world-class Operations Center. Advanced plant features include the ability to:

• Regulate voltage, frequency and power factor
• Control active and reactive power, ramp rates, and curtail power when necessary
• Ride through faults and disturbances
• Minimize the impacts of cloud cover