Ivanpah: The World’s Largest Solar Thermal Power Plant
In California is sprouting a record breaking clean energy monster. It’s called Ivanpah, and it will contain over 300,000 mirrors directing enough sunlight to power more than 140,000 U.S. homes. It will occupy 3,5000 acres in the Ivanpah Dry Lake, and is actually owned by Google and a company called BrightSource. (Along with other suppliers which can be found here.)
Ivanpah is so big it actually received recognition from president Obama! He is hailing this project as one of America’s most ambitious clean energy initiatives. And he’s right to do so: by its planned completion this year, it is expected to generate over 325 megawatts of power. That’s over 3.25 million light bulbs!
Although Ivanpah will cost over $2.2 billion, it is expected to be a significant generator of jobs. With around 2,200 jobs being created, it is expected to provide $650 million in wages and $300 million in tax breaks.
This is also why I love Google. They have invested over $94 million in the Ivanpah project because they, like every other educated engineer and human on our planet, believe that renewable energy is the future.
If you’re an investor, take a look at Ivanpah. Otherwise, just keep your eye on them as they grow to be one of the biggest examples of successful clean energy the world has ever seen.
Related articles
- Ivanpah: The World’s Largest Solar Thermal Plant Passes First Solar Capacity Test (inhabitat.com)
- What The Flux: BrightSource Heats Up Solar Tower (earthtechling.com)
