Australian
Monday 20/7/2009 Page: 25
Brightsource Energy, the Californian solar thermal group that this year landed the world's two biggest solar energy deals, says Australia could become its second biggest market. Brightsource Energy is teaming up with Macquarie Group and WorleyParsons to apply for funding under the government's $1.4bn Solar Flagships program, and is looking to build a plant of about 400MW.
We think there will be a sustainable long-term market in Australia," says Tom Doyle, executive vice-president of global development. "For us, it is the No 2 market." Brightsource Energy has signed two contracts worth 1.3 GWs each with PGE and Southern California Edison and has a pipeline of projects totalling about 4GW. Its first 400MW facility is to begin construction within the next 6-9 months and should be completed by 2011.
Its system is known as Luz power tower technology, where thousands of small mirrors or heliostats direct sunlight on to a boiler on top of a tower to produce high-temperature steam. Brightsource Energy's IP essentially revolves around the algorithms that allow the heliostats to follow the sun along the X and the Y axis and direct energy to the tower, which can then generate steam at extremely high temperatures and therefore drive a more efficient turbine.
Doyle says the company will look to add a gas generation facility to broaden the solar plant's ability to meet peak demand periods, particularly early morning and evening. His current visit to Australia includes visits to Australian gas-fired power generators.
Brightsource Energy has raised $US160m ($199m) through three rounds of funding its shareholders include Google, Chevron, BP and Statoil and it is currently looking for a further $US200m in what might be its last round before a market float. Doyle says the company is canvassing strategic and traditional investors in the Asian region, including Australia.
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