Alumni
Moment of History
LADWP’s Pioneering Entry into Utility Scale Solar
In 1982, Solar One, a 10 megawatt (MW) thermal solar pilot plant and research facility went into operation just east of Barstow, California. Solar One was a joint project between LADWP, the Department of Energy, Southern California Edison, and the California Energy Commission. This early solar plant collected the sun’s rays via large mirrors called heliostats that tracked the sun and concentrated them onto a central tower that in turn produced heat to run steam turbine generators. This early experimental plant operated from 1982 to 1988 and helped pioneer LADWP’s entry into solar technology.
Information courtesy: www.solaripedia.com
For more details on the plant watch the video above courtesy of PeriscopeFilm.