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.