World of Solar Thermal - Solar Thermal Energy Daily News, Events, Companies, Products, Jobs and more : Ausra Unveils California’s First Solar Thermal Plant in 20 Years

Ausra Unveils California’s First Solar Thermal Plant in 20 Years
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Pangea on 10/12/2009 22:00:00
 
The new plant is the first of it’s kind in North America and was constructed
in just seven months.
Ausra’s Bakersfield plant is expected to generate 5MW of electricity (enough
to power 3,500 homes), and it is an exciting a proof of concept for a much
larger 177MW facility set to open in 2010 in San Luis Obispo that will power
more than 120,000 homes.
Ausra’s solar-thermal plants employ a technology called Compact Linear Fresnel
Reflectors. The process use mirrors to focus the sun’s heat upon tubes of
water, creating steam that is used to drive power turbines to generate
electricity. Unlike wind and photovoltaic systems, solar thermal plants are
capable of storing heat for times when power is needed, and the steam produced
can also used for other applications.
At the plant’s unveiling Governor Schwarzenegger stated: “This next
generation solar power plant is further evidence that reliable, renewable and
pollution-free technology is here to stay . . . Not only will this large-scale
solar facility generate power to help us meet our renewable energy goals, it
will also generate new jobs as California continues to pioneer the clean-tech
industry.”