California is the most populous state in the country, located on the west coast of the USA. California has a population of 39,893,818, followed by Texas with 20,851,820, New York with 18,976,457 and Florida with 15,982,378 people, according to the 2019 census.

The largest cities are respectively Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento (capital), Oakland, and Fresno.

California is a very rich state in terms of food, plants, agricultural products, and also climate diversity. While the average daily temperatures on the coasts are mild with a temperature of 21 C, winters are a little harsher in mountainous areas. Also, deserts, which are considered to be the hottest places in the world, are seen in the state. In California, where freezing temperatures are not experienced even in winter, rain is more common in the northern parts of the state, while snow is only seen in the mountains.

While the highest temperature recorded in the north of the state is 56.6 degrees Celsius (in 1913), the temperature can reach around 49 degrees Celsius in the summer months. This makes the state of California invaluable for solar panels or solar energy systems. For example, in Los Angeles, the largest city in the state, the lowest temperature in January is measured as 9 C degrees, and the highest temperature in July is measured as 27 C on average.

There are several large solar power plants in California due to the above-mentioned features. These include the world’s largest solar thermal power project, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (392 MW) (40 miles 60 km southwest of Las Vegas). Besides, the project has been awarded a support loan of 1.375 billion dollars from the US Department of Energy. Also, the Genesis Solar Power Project, another solar power plant, is a 250 MW solar power plant located in Riverside County, California.