Tag Archives: BrightSource Energy
BrightSource Energy Raises $168 Million From Google
Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has invested $168 million in BrightSource Energy Inc. BrightSource plans on using the funding to build the Ivanpah solar tower plant in the Mojave Desert. About three years ago Google.org had invested $10 million in BrightSource Energy. This deal was put together by Google’s Green Business Operations team. By investing in BrightSource, Google believes that it would reduce their cost of clean energy from renewable sources for them and others in the market overall. [TechCrunch]
Categories BrightSource Energy, Google
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Bechtel To Build BrightSource Energy’s Ivanpah Solar Energy Generating System
BrightSource Energy is a major developer of solar thermal plants. Bechtel Corporation will be helping build the $3 billion Ivanpah Solar Energy Generating System in California. Ivanpah will have 3 solar plants that will produce 440 megawatts which is enough power to give 330,000 homes electricity. Bechtel will receive equity in the project. Ivanpah will need to fulfill contracts that amount to 2.6 gigawatts worth of energy.
Power generated by Ivanpah will be sold to Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison. Ivanpah will use flat mirrors at the top of their “power towers” and water to convert steam to make turbines rotate. BrightSource is also expected to receive a loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The Ivanpah solar plants will be built in the Mojave Desert around the Nevada and California. Two of the plants alone will take up about 850 square miles. The third larger plant will take up abou 1,600 acres.