Monday 28 September 2009

BrightSource expands Nevada solar thermal project

www.reuters.com
Sep 22, 2009

LOS ANGELES, Sept 22 (Reuters) - solar thermal power company BrightSource Energy Inc said on Tuesday that it is expanding a land deal in Nevada that could boost the project's power potential to 960 MWs. The deal with Coyote Springs Land Co expands a previous agreement that called for sites that could accommodate up to 600 MW of solar thermal power.

Privately held BrightSource Energy last week dropped plans to locate a 500-MW solar thermal project in the Mojave Desert after opposition from environmentalists and a U.S, senator who sought to preserve the surrounding area. solar thermal plants use solar heat to create steam that powers a turbine. They are typically much larger than those made up of photovoltaic solar panels, which turn sunlight directly into electricity.

BrightSource Energy, based in Oakland, California, has picked up big contracts to deliver solar thermal power to California utilities Edison International Inc (EIX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and PG&E Corp (PCG.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz). The power generated from the Coyote Springs project, which is on private property near transmission lines, could meet demand in the immediate residential and commercial development of Coyote Springs, southern Nevada and deliver power to California. BrightSource Energy is also working on a major project in Ivanpah, California, which is expected to begin construction in 2010.

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