SunE Alamosa — United States of America

SunE Alamosa is a 8.2 MW solar power plant in Colorado, United States of America. It is operated by SunE Alamosa1 LLC. Based on reported annual generation of 16 GWh, it can supply roughly 4.4k homes. It ranks #5968 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2008, it is around 18 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, solar supplies about 8.6% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0056481.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000815191; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 8.2 MW, SunE Alamosa is well above the median solar plant in United States of America (3 MW). Solar PV converts sunlight directly into electricity with no moving parts or fuel; output varies by time of day and weather, so it pairs with storage or flexible backup.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Load factor

22%, from 16 GWh of reported generation; the median for 3185 solar plants in United States of America that report generation is 19%

Generation trend

17 GWh in 2013 and 16 GWh in 2019 (−8%)

Highest and lowest year

2017: 35 GWh; 2015: 3 GWh

Share of United States of America solar capacity

less than 0.1% of 38,093 MW across 3,283 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

16 of 3,277 dated solar plants in United States of America are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Reported generation trend

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by SunE Alamosa1 LLC.

Local climate & thermal context

This solar plant converts sunlight directly into electricity with photovoltaic panels. It sits in a cold semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 37.7°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 77% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 89/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Solar PV loses ~0.35%/°C above 25°C cell temperature — roughly 0.0% at warm-season highs here (estimate).

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #682 largest solar power plant of 3283 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 3283 solar power plants in this dataset, together about 38,093 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Greater Sandhill I · Solar · 19 MW · Colorado
• San Luis Valley Solar Ranch · Solar · 35 MW · Colorado
• Hooper Solar · Solar · 52 MW · Colorado
• Cogentrix of Alamosa · Solar · 30 MW · Colorado
• Center · Oil · 1.5 MW · Colorado
• Alamosa · Gas · 53.2 MW · Colorado

Location

Coordinates 37.6903, -105.8805 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions