The state’s solar energy capabilities is creating many Nevada jobs.

The southwest portion of the United States has some of the best solar resources in the world. Nevada has a large amount of land and plenty of sunshine, making it extremely ideal for the solar industry. With America’s new commitment to being green, this hot environment is creating many new jobs and tons of investment money, according to an article by CleanTechnica.

Ausra recently opened a solar thermal power factory in Las Vegas. The plant is the largest in the world, and employs 50 factory workers. At its full capacity, the plant can generate 700 MW of solar panels, which could produce enough power for 500,000 homes. This many panels could create about 1,400 solar plant construction jobs.

The factory produces giant mirrors and absorber tubes used for solar power plants. This technology uses the sun to generate heat and spin turbines, which then creates electricity. The giant mirrors follow the sun and reflect it onto fixed absorber tubes that are mounted above.

“Nevada is poised to be a leader in the clean energy revolution,” U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in the article. “This facility will help position our state as the premiere place to invest in these new technologies. As the factory expands operations and we continue to invest in clean energy, we’ll create thousands of good-paying jobs and keep our outdoors pristine for future generations.”

Solar projects equaling more than 10,000 MW must submit land requests to the Bureau of Land Management in Southern Nevada. If constructed, the solar plants would bring in more than $40 billion of investment to the state.

“Power plants benefit the economy in the short-term by creating large quantities of construction jobs,” the article adds. “In the long-term, they create plant operations jobs, tax revenue, raise property values, and generate income through land leases. A recent example is Acciona’s Nevada Solar One, located in Boulder City, NV.

“As the third largest solar concentrated plant in the world, its maximum output is 75 MW of electricity,” the article continues. “It generates enough power for 15,000 homes annually and had a cost of $260 million. Operating since June, 2007, there are 300 acres of solar fields. The plant will produce peak power, with nearly zero carbon emissions and create approximately 28 operations related jobs.”