NRG joins Brightsource on solar project
The majority of solar power projects developed to date have been photovoltaic systems, in which sunlight is turned into electricity using semiconductor materials in panels, but several large-scale solar thermal, or concentrated solar, projects are in development.
Thermal solar power stations like the Brightsource project use mirrors to concentrate sunlight on a fixed point to heat a liquid that produces steam to power a turbine.
NRG, which previously announced a partnership to develop thermal solar plants with eSolar, said construction on the 392-megawatt Ivanpah project in the Mojave Desert had begun and was expected to be in operation by mid-2013.
Ivanpah has received a $1.375 billion conditional commitment from the U.S. Department of Energy for a loan guarantee, and has obtained all permits and approvals from both federal and California state agencies.
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To Limit Climate Change, Scientists Try To Improve Solar And Wind Power
WASHINGTON - Solar energy in Wisconsin continued to grow in 2019, as more homeowners had rooftop panels installed and big utilities started building multi-panel solar farms.
Wind power is increasing more slowly in the state. However, developers are again coming forward with proposals for multiple turbines.
Nationally, researchers are working on ways to get even more energy from solar and wind, as states like Wisconsin aim to reduce their carbon emissions over the next few decades.
One reason solar energy is growing in Wisconsin is due to the silicon panels becoming more efficient. But scientists haven't finished trying to improve panel efficiency. The…
