Annotation5

Koshmrl, Mike. "DOE Back World's Largest PV Plant." // Solar Today //. 21 Jan. 2011. Web. .

** Where does the author work, what else has s/he written about, and what are her/his credentials? **  The American Solar Energy Society is an organization of solar professionals and proponents. They work to stimulate innovation, increase education, catalyze research and policy to accomplish a sustainable energy economy.

** What is the main topic or argument of the text? **  This article discusses the recent governmental support to the Arizona Agua Caliente Solar project. The U.S. Department of Energy has provided a lot of financial support in general to several solar energy projects.

** Describe at least three ways that the main topic or argument is fleshed out. **  The 290 MW Agua Caliente Solar project has acquired $967 million in a loan guarantee. With this financial help, the project will become the largest photovoltaic plant in the world.  The plant will create construction jobs for 400 individuals. The county tax will expand as well. Energy will be provided to 100,000 homes through Pacific Gas & Electric Company. The plant implements thin film solar panels from First Solar Inc. The plant will avert the discharge of 237,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases every year. The Agua Caliente project will commence distributing electricity in 2012, and it will be able to produce the maximum energy in 2014. The Department of Energy has a Loan Program Office. It has been able to loan out money to 17 different clean energy developments in the United States. The projects include wind farms, a nuclear power plant, and solar thermal projects. The federal loan guarantees sum up to more than $16.5 billion, and the projects will produce more than 37 million MW-h of energy. This is enough electricity to provide for 3.5 million homes.

** What three quotes capture the critical import of the text? **  “In the wake of last month’s finalization of a $1.45 billion federal loan guarantee for Abengoa Solar to build its Solana solar plant near Gila Bend, the Agua Caliente agreement ‘brings Southern Arizona another step closer to realizing the economic potential solar power really offers,’ said Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva”

“The Agua Caliente project will, when complete, be the world's largest photovoltaic solar field. Abengoa's Solana plant will be the world's largest concentrated solar plant, a different kind of technology.”

“These projects are the kind of public-private partnerships that truly benefit the business community, the local economy and municipal authorities all at the same time.”

** Explain how the argument and evidence in the text supports your research focus. ** My research focus is to evaluate the development of solar energy in the United States. The U.S. Department of energy has provided several loans to a lot of projects in order to bring more renewable and sustainable energy to the country. This has been made possible through the Loan Program Office. The largest photovoltaic plant will be implemented in Arizona as a result.