Nipton, California

This High Gain Solar power plant supplies over 85% of the electricity for Nipton, California. As a result, Nipton is the most solar-electric town in the United States on a per-capita basis.

Nipton is an hour south of Las Vegas, Nevada and enjoys abundant sunshine throughout the year. Its desert climate is ideal for Skyline's High Gain Solar system. You are welcome to stop there (the town has a restaurant, hotel and store) to enjoy a solar-cooled beverage and see the 80 kilowatt plant.

If you can't visit in person, enjoy this 3-minute Quicktime video. (It may take 30 seconds or so to start playing.)

The Nipton ribbon-cutting ceremony took place June 11, 2010. From left, Tim Keating (Skyline Solar VP Marketing and Field Operations), Bob MacDonald (Skyline Solar CEO), Gerald Freeman (Principal Administrator of Nipton), Jessie Flores (Assistant to San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt) , Sarah Kurtz (Principal Scientist, National Renewable Energy Laboratory) and Tom Robertson (CEO of Sustainable Energy Investment, L.P.)

Three of the four columns of arrays are visible in this photo of the Nipton power plant.

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Looking down one of the troughs. Heat sinks in center of photo.

Skyline arrays can rotate up to 80 degrees from horizontal