This might be the speediest 100+ megawatt PV project in the U.S. yet. First Solar announced this week that it purchased the 150 megawatt (AC) Solar Gen 2 power project from Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. affiliate, Energy Power Partners and a third equity partner on April. While First Solar's construction hasn’t started on the facility in Imperial County, Calif. yet, First Solar said it anticipated that the project will be completed in 2014. If so, it could be the fastest solar project in excess of 100 megawatts to reach complete commercial operation from start of construction.

If anyone can do it that fast, First Solar can. After all, it completed more than 170 megawatts of the 290 megawatt Agua Caliente Solar Project between February and July last year. But the project isn't completed yet because it's not contracted to come fully online until 2014.

"We are delighted to transition Solar Gen 2 to First Solar, one of the world's leading solar companies. First Solar shares our vision of providing clean energy for California and green jobs for Imperial Valley, one of the most economically challenged areas in the country," said Steve Zaminski, CEO of Solar Gen 2 and owner of Energy Power Partners. The county has suffered from unemployment rates as high as 30 percent. Zaminski also acknowledged support from state and local governments, "We are grateful to SDG&E, the Imperial Irrigation District, the County of Imperial and the California Public Utilities Commission for their leadership and support in contributing to the successful outcome of this development effort."

Even though First Solar just bought the project, it could be considered to be behind schedule already. Solar Gen 2‘s website states the project was originally supposed to come online starting in the summer of 2012 and be completed later in the year under its power-purchase agreement with San Diego Gas & Electric. According to the site, the project was supposed to create 300 jobs during construction and 30 permanent jobs. That’s changed. “Solar Gen 2 is expected to provide on average more than 800 construction jobs in Imperial County, an area currently suffering from high unemployment,” First Solar said.

Along with the purchase of project, for an undisclosed sum (Solar Gen 2’s site says SDG&E is paying $600 million for the project), First Solar acquired 40 megawatts (DC) of photovoltaics from another supplier. First Solar, a thin-film PV manufacturer, will integrate the modules into the installation, which will mostly consist of First Solar’s modules. It will also provide the development, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), and grid integration services.

"We are very pleased to help SDG&E meet its clean energy goals and provide clean, reliable, renewable power to their customers," said Dana Diller, First Solar vice president of U.S. Business Development. "We are also proud to once again bring the economic benefits of utility-scale solar development to Imperial County, where both county officials and the Imperial Irrigation District, with which this plant will interconnect, have been extremely supportive."

The project is being developed on three sites that consisted of fallow farmland that was for sale for years, according to Solar Gen 2. Between that and its plan to return the land to agricultural use, the project earned the support of the Sierra Club last year.