Project Overview

The Topaz solar farm is a 550 MW solar farm in San Luis Obispo County, California. Developed, operated, and maintained by First Solar, this solar farm is one of the biggest solar farms in the US. The project is spread across 9.5 square miles, equivalent to 4,600 football fields, and produces about 550 MWac power sufficient to supply clean energy through electricity to 180,000 homes.

Source: nasa.gov

The Topaz Solar project includes ground-mounted cadmium telluride-made solar PV modules and an electrical collection system that converts Direct current (DC) power to Alternating current (AC) power. 

This power will be delivered to a substation within the project for collection and conversion from 34.5 kV to 230 kV for delivery through the Pacific Gas and Electric switching station. The Pacific Gas and Electric switching station is interconnected to the Morro Bay to Midway 230-kV transmission line. 

Project Background

The Department of Energy (DOE) proposed the Topaz Solar Farm to increase the availability of electricity generated from renewable energy projects in the US. This includes the construction of several solar PV facilities and their associated transmission and support facilities. The Topaz Solar Farm generates sufficient electricity power for about 180,000 homes annually. This solar project was built with an estimate of saving about 8,564,790 metric tons of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.

Land Analysis

Topaz Solar Farms, Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), the project proponent, purchased about 10,000 acres of Land to develop the facility. About 4,100 acres of the total land acquired has been used for the project development. The entire project was divided into two study areas, Study Area A and Study Area B for a project feasibility study.

Both the study areas had similarly sized solar generating equipment, a switching station, a project substation, a monitoring and maintenance facility, a Solar Energy Learning Center, and infrastructure such as roads and fencing. Both proposals were considered but eliminated by the Department of Energy because they did not meet the need and purpose of the project or for other reasons provided in Section 2.1.3 of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), such as technical feasibility issues, environmental impacts, and legal and regulatory constraints.  

Topaz Solar Farm Location

The Topaz Solar Farm is located in eastern San Luis Obispo County, California, approximately six miles northwest of the Carrizo Plain National Monument and one mile north of the community of California Valley.

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Topaz Solar Farm Cost

The Topaz Solar Farm project cost is around USD 2.44 billion. This cost includes the interest amount during the time of construction. It is one of the biggest solar farm in the US was built with a solar capacity of 550 MW.

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Project Timeline

In January 2019, Topaz Solar Farm received full contract payment for January 2019 post-petition energy deliveries to PG & E. This is consistent with the terms of the PPA signed by both parties.

Project Specifications

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Topaz Solar Farm Contractors & Suppliers

Investors

The United States (US) Department of Energy (DOE) issued a federal loan guarantee to the Royal Bank of Scotland to provide funding to Topaz Solar Farms, Limited Liability Corporation (LLC). The entire project was built at a cost of USD 2.44 billion. 

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Topaz Solar Farm Ownership Changes

First Solar was responsible for Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC), project development, solar module supply, and operation and maintenance. During construction in 2011, First Solar sold the ownership of the 550 MW Topaz project to MidAmerican Renewables, a subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company. 

The Ownership transfer to MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company was completed by 31st January 2012 under a 25-year, fixed-fee operating and maintenance agreement with First Solar. 

In April 2014, MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company renamed itself as Berkshire Hathaway Energy. Currently, BHE Renewables, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, owns the Topaz Solar farm, with First Solar as the O&M for 25 years. The electricity produced is being purchased by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).

Power Purchase Agreement for Topaz Solar Farm (PPA)

A long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) was sold to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Under this 25-year PPA agreement, PG&R will purchase the electricity from the Topaz Solar farm and provide 33% of this electricity to its customers under the mandated Government Executive Order S-21-09. Under this order issued by the California Governor in 2009, about 33% of the electricity sold in California must be generated from renewable energy sources.

Challenges for Topaz Solar farm

In October 2011, the North County Watch and Carrizo Commons filed a lawsuit against the 550 MW Topaz Solar Farm. The lawsuit claimed the project land was home to several protected species, such as San Joaquin kit fox, giant kangaroo rat, and blunt-nosed leopard lizard. 

First Solar signed a habitat restoration agreement with North County Watch and Carrizo Commons. Under this agreement, this 550-megawatt plant will have 35 years of operation, after which it will be decommissioned, and the land habitat will be restored. The restoration also includes preservation of approximately 22,000 acres of off-site lands.

Conclusion

Topaz Solar Farm is a 550 MW ground-mounted cadmium telluride fixed-tracking solar panels project developed and operated by First Solar. It was initially owned by First Solar but was later acquired by MidAmerican Renewables, a subsidiary of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, in 2011, which renamed itself Berkshire Hathaway Energy. The project is now owned by BHE Renewables, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy.

The project was built at a project cost of USD 2.44 billion, which was funded by the Royal Bank of Scotland through a federal loan guarantee issued by the Department of Energy. This utility-scale solar project has sufficient power generation capacity to supply power for about 180,000 homes.

 Topaz Solar Farm began its commercial operation in 2015 and continues to be one of the largest solar plant in the US.

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