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The California Desert Is Now Home to the World’s Largest Solar-Power Plant

The California Desert Is Now Home to the World’s Largest Solar-Power Plant

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U.S. Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell, left, tours the more than six square miles of the plant during the power-on ceremony at Desert Sunlight Solar Farm in Desert Center, Calif., Feb. 9, 2015. — U.S. Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell, left, tours the plant during the power-on ceremony at Desert Sunlight Solar Farm in Desert Center, Calif., on Feb. 9, 2015Terry Pierson—The Press Enterprise/AP

February 10, 2015 4:44 AM EST

The world’s largest solar-power plant officially opened in the Riverside County desert, in California, on Monday.

The 550-megawatt Desert Sunlight Solar Farm will produce enough energy to power 160,000 California homes, reports USA Today.

Governor Jerry Brown has called on the state to increase its renewable-energy use to 50% of the total by 2030, up from 33% by 2020.

Desert Sunlight was built using a $1.5 billion federal loan-guarantee program from the U.S. Department of Energy, who says the project is expected to make a profit of $5 billion to $6 billion.

[USA Today]

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Write to Helen Regan at helen.regan@timeasia.com