Largest solar thermal power plant

NRG celebrates the continuing future of solar energy during the grand opening for the Ivanpah Solar Electrical Generating program on Thursday in Nipton, Calif. Jeff Bottari/Invision for NRG conceal caption

NRG celebrates the continuing future of solar power at grand opening associated with Ivanpah Solar Electrical Generating program on Thursday in Nipton, Calif.

The planet's biggest solar powered energy plant, contains 1000s of mirrors concentrating the sun's rays's power, features formally started operations in Mojave Desert, simply inside southeastern California near the edge with Nevada.

The $2.2 billion, 400-megawatt Ivanpah Solar Electrical Generating program, which covers 5 square miles and contains three 40-story towers where in fact the light is focused, is a joint task by NRG Energy, Bing and BrightSource Energy. The project got a $1.6 billion national loan guarantee.

The plant, which moved online Thursday, is to power 140, 000 homes. It had been devoted by U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.

"Unlike the photovoltaic solar panels which are common regarding roofs of houses and commercial buildings, solar thermal technology concentrates natural sunlight to boil water and generate steam. Solar thermal, also referred to as concentrating solar power, or CSP, is land-intensive, requires access to transmission outlines and usually deals with a few environmental reviews and permitting hurdles before projects is integrated the wilderness."

The Wall Street Journal, however, is skeptical of enterprise, saying Ivanpah is "the very first of the type, and could be on the list of last, partly considering developing research your technology it utilizes is killing wild birds."

"Utility-scale solar flowers have come under fire with their prices — Ivanpah costs about four times as much as the standard all-natural gas-fired plant but will produce less electrical energy — and when it comes to amount of land they might require."

"BrightSource really wants to build another tower-based solar farm in Ca's Riverside County, eastern of Palm Springs. Although condition Energy Commission in December proposed the business as an alternative make use of even more standard technologies, such as solar energy panels or mirrored troughs."

"One explanation: The BrightSource system appears to be scorching wild birds that fly through intense temperature surrounding the towers, that could reach 1, 000 degrees Fahrenheit."