LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The four largest solar projects under development in the U.S. are in Nevada — with three in Esmeralda County.

Data provided by the Global Energy Monitor shows the four Nevada projects are expected to produce 4.5 gigawatts of electricity — more than the entire solar industry in the state produced in 2021 (just over 3.15 gigawatts). The projects are:

  • Gold Dust Solar, Arevia Power (1,500 megawatts, Esmeralda County)
  • Pantheon Solar Project, Arevia Power (1,000 megawatts, White Pine County
  • Sawtooth Solar Energy Center, Quantum Energy Partners (1,000 megawatts, Esmeralda County)
  • Smoky Valley Solar Project, ConnectGen (1,000 megawatts, Esmeralda County)

A Nye County project that is going through public comment and scoping now could bring the state’s fifth-highest electricity generator to the southeast edge of Pahrump. The Copper Rays Solar Project is expected to have a capacity of 700 mega watts. Another project announced in Mineral County called Libra Solar is also 700 megawatts.

All the development is happening as a worldwide rush to build solar farms increases the commitment to renewable energy. There are 17 projects in the world that are bigger than Gold Dust Solar. The biggest project to be announced so far is in Australia — the Powell Creek solar farm, which is expected to have a capacity of 20,000 megawatts — 20 gigawatts. Some of this international development will not happen for years, but two 1,500 megawatt projects — one in Kuwait and one in Saudi Arabia — are already under construction.

But Nevada is far and away the biggest player in the U.S. The state is currently ranked sixth in the U.S. for total electricity generation from solar energy.

Nine of the 10 largest projects announced or in development are in Nevada. Kern County, California, has the Edwards Sanborn solar farm, the fifth largest.

The largest project actually under construction in the U.S. is Gemini Solar, a 690-megawatt solar farm just south of Interstate 15 near Valley of Fire State Park. It’s owned by Arevia Power and Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners. It comes in at the eighth-largest in the nation.

Here’s a map of projects in Nevada that have been announced, are in development are under construction, or have been canceled (Information from the U.S. Energy Information Administration):

The following projects were proposed but later canceled:

  • Battle Born Solar Project (850 megawatts)
  • Mohave Green Center solar farm (360 megawatts)
  • Mohave Green Center solar farm (360 megawatts)
  • Fort Mojave solar farm (300 megawatts)
  • Boulder Flats Solar (200 megawatts)
  • South Ridge Solar (200 megawatts)
  • Cactus Springs Solar Project (150 megawatts)
  • Snow Mountain Solar (100 megawatts)
  • Toquop Sithe solar farm (100 megawatts)

Here’s a list of solar farms currently in operation in Nevada through 2021:

  1. Copper Mountain Solar 5, LLC (Clark County, 252 megawatts)
  2. Moapa Southern Paiute (Clark County, 250 megawatts)
  3. Techren Solar II LLC (Clark County, 200 megawatts)
  4. Townsite Solar Project Hybrid (Clark County, 180 megawatts)
  5. Crescent Dunes Solar Energy (Nye County, 125 megawatts)
  6. Sunshine Valley Solar (Nye County, 103.5 megawatts)
  7. Battle Mountain Solar Project (Humboldt County, 101 megawatts)
  8. Playa Solar 2 (Clark County, 100 megawatts)
  9. Boulder Solar Power, LLC (Clark County, 100 megawatts)
  10. Techren Solar I LLC (Clark County, 100 megawatts)
  11. Harry Allen Solar Energy LLC (Clark County, 100 megawatts)
  12. Playa Solar 1, LLC (Clark County, 79 megawatts)
  13. Nevada Solar One (Clark County, 75.7 megawatts)
  14. Turquoise Nevada, LLC (Washoe County, 60 megawatts)
  15. Silver State Solar Power North (Clark County, 52 megawatts)
  16. Copper Mountain Solar 4, LLC (Clark County, 51.8 megawatts)
  17. Boulder Solar II, LLC (Clark County, 50 megawatts)
  18. Luning Energy (Mineral County, 50 megawatts
  19. Techren Solar V (Clark County, 50 megawatts)
  20. Copper Mountain Solar 4, LLC (Clark County, 41.8 megawatts)
  21. Silver State Solar Power South (Clark County, 37.2 megawatts)
  22. Silver State Solar Power South (Clark County, 36.6 megawatts)
  23. Silver State Solar Power South (Clark County, 35.7 megawatts)
  24. Silver State Solar Power South (Clark County, 35 megawatts)
  25. Silver State Solar Power South (Clark County, 35 megawatts)
  26. Copper Mountain Solar 2 (Clark County, 34 megawatts)
  27. Spectrum Solar PV Power Project (Clark County, 30.2 megawatts)
  28. Copper Mountain Solar 2 (Clark County, 30 megawatts)
  29. Copper Mountain Solar 2 (Clark County, 30 megawatts)
  30. Copper Mountain Solar 2 (Clark County, 30 megawatts)
  31. Copper Mountain Solar 2 (Clark County, 30 megawatts)
  32. Copper Mountain Solar 3 (Clark County, 28 megawatts)
  33. Silver State Solar Power South (Clark County, 27.9 megawatts)
  34. Copper Mountain Solar 3 (Clark County, 27 megawatts)
  35. Silver State Solar Power South (Clark County, 26.4 megawatts)
  36. Silver State Solar Power South (Clark County, 26.3 megawatts)
  37. Copper Mountain Solar 3 (Clark County, 26 megawatts)
  38. Copper Mountain Solar 3 (Clark County, 26 megawatts)
  39. Copper Mountain Solar 3 (Clark County, 26 megawatts)
  40. Copper Mountain Solar 3 (Clark County, 26 megawatts)
  41. Copper Mountain Solar 3 (Clark County, 26 megawatts)
  42. Copper Mountain Solar 3 (Clark County, 25 megawatts)
  43. Techren Solar III LLC (Clark County, 25 megawatts)
  44. Techren Solar IV LLC (Clark County, 25 megawatts)
  45. Copper Mountain Solar 3 (Clark County, 24 megawatts)
  46. Stillwater Facility Churchill County, 22 megawatts)
  47. Copper Mountain Solar 3 (Clark County, 21 megawatts)
  48. Apex Solar PV Power Project (Clark County, 20 megawatts)
  49. Mountain View Solar (Clark County, 20 megawatts)
  50. EGP Stillwater Solar PV II, LLC (Churchill County, 20 megawatts)
  51. Ft. Churchill PV (Lyon County, 19.9 megawatts)
  52. Searchlight Solar (Clark County, 17.5 megawatts)
  53. Nellis Solar PV II (Clark County, 15 megawatts)
  54. NVSS-II (Nye County, 15 megawatts)
  55. River Mountains Solar (Clark County, 14.4 megawatts)
  56. Patua Acquisition Project, LLC (Churchill County, 10.6 megawatts)
  57. CM10 (Clark County, 10 megawatts)
  58. CM48 (Clark County, 10 megawatts)
  59. CM48 (Clark County, 10 megawatts)
  60. CM48 (Clark County, 10 megawatts)
  61. CM48 (Clark County, 10 megawatts)
  62. Turquoise Liberty Solar (Washoe County, 10 megawatts)
  63. CM48 (Clark County, 8 megawatts)
  64. Tungsten Mountain (Churchill County, 7.3 megawatts)
  65. Nellis Air Force Base Solar Array (Clark County, 4.9 megawatts)
  66. Solar Las Vegas MB-1 (Clark County, 4.9 megawatts)
  67. Nellis Air Force Base Solar Array (Clark County, 4.6 megawatts)
  68. Nellis Air Force Base Solar Array (Clark County, 3.7 megawatts)
  69. Las Vegas WPCF Solar Plant (Clark County, 3.3 megawatts)
  70. Dignity – San Martin (Clark County, 1.7 megawatts)
  71. Solar Las Vegas MB 2, LLC (Clark County, 1.5 megawatts)
  72. Dignity – Siena Campus (Clark County, 1.4 megawatts)
  73. Western 102 Power Plant (Storey County, 1 megawatt)
  74. IKEA Las Vegas 462 (Clark County, 1 megawatt)
  75. Tesla Reno GigaFactory (Storey County, 0.9 megawatts)
  76. Tesla Reno GigaFactory (Storey County, 0.5 megawatts)
  77. Tesla Reno GigaFactory (Storey County, 0.4 megawatts)

This is the second in a series of stories examining solar energy in Nevada. 8 News Now is looking at different aspects of the growth in solar farms — including ones that are already operating, plants that are in development, and some that have been canceled. NEXT: Will the industry’s growth continue to benefit homeowners?
MORE COVERAGE:
Copper Rays Solar Project would be nation’s 6th-highest for energy production capacity
Surge in solar energy production on Nevada’s horizon
Federal legislation to increase renewable energy incentives for Nevada homeowners, including solar