Fresno Solar Kits

One of the largest arrays of solar panels is at the Fresno Yosemite airport. It was constructed on unused land bordering the runways of the airport. Passengers can easily see them as they take off and land, and they provide 40% of the electricity used by the airport. It is one of the most efficient systems being used today, generating about 2mW.

The array in Fresno was installed, and is maintained by a couple of commercial companies located in the area. The array covers 9.5 acres and is expected to save over 13 million dollars over the next 20 years. By leasing the solar kits to a third party the airport saves money by not having to come up with the upfront money to install the array as well as improves their environmental image.

Fresno has direct sunlight most of the year making it a great place for solar power generators, whether they are photovoltaic arrays or larger sun farms that convert the suns energy into heat. Using the sun to create heat allows for power to still be generated even at night because heat dissipates very slow when contained correctly. Salt can be heated to over 1000 degrees with correctly placed mirrors, and can maintain most of that heat over night in many systems.