Peter Da Vanzo
First Solar, manufacturer of thin film photovoltaic solar modules, are to build a 10 megawatt power plant in Nevada.
First Solar's project will be constructed alongside a natural gas-fired power plant, which will allow the solar station to share transmission lines and other infrastructure, therefore minimizing land use. Given growing concern amongst environmentalists regarding industrialization of the desert, low-impact land usage is becoming an important factor.
Thin-film solar technology converts sunlight into energy, but at a lower cost than traditional solar. Solar cells are layered on plates of glass or flexible materials, which lowers cost, but the trade off is that this process reduces efficiency.
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