First Solar to build worldÔÇÖs largest solar power plant in China

Tempe, Arizona-based renewable energy company First Solar has clinched a deal to build the worldÔÇÖs largest solar power plant in the Chinese desert.  The two-gigawatt plant will be located in Inner MongoliaÔÇÖs Ordos City province and is to be built in four phases over a decade on a 65 square kilometer plot of land. It is hoped that on completion the plant will supply power to three million Chinese homes.  The first phase of the Ordos plant will be a 30-megawatt demonstration project, construction of which will begin in June 2010, according to officials. The second phase will be 100 megawatts and the third, 870 megawatts, both of which will be completed by 2014. The fourth phase will be 1,000 megawatts, due for completion in 2019. First Solar is also planning to facilitate expansion of Chinese supply chains for thin film photovoltaic module production and for the recycling of photovoltaic modules after use.  A photovoltaic module is the assembly of solar cells known as a solar panel.  At a signing ceremony at First SolarÔÇÖs Arizona headquarters, CEO Mike Ahearn said: ÔÇ£This major commitment to solar power is a direct result of the progressive energy policies being adopted in China to create a sustainable, long-term market for solar and a low carbon future for China. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre proud to be announcing this precedent-setting project today. It represents an encouraging step forward toward the mass-scale deployment of solar power worldwide to help mitigate climate change concerns.ÔÇØ  China is working towards providing 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2010, and 15 percent by 2020. These sources include wind, solar, biomass and hydro. Beijing has recently boosted its solar capacity to two gigawatts by 2011 and to 10 to 20 gigawatts by 2020.┬á * ┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á*┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *