Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is a solar thermal power plant located close to Las Vegas in the California Mojave Desert. 173,500 heliostats reflect the sun’s rays at three solar power towers. Each tower features a water-filled receiver that generates high temperature steam when heated by the reflected energy. The farm has a planned capacity of 392 megawatts (MW).
BrightSource Energy and Bechtel developed Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System at a cost of $2.2 billion. Google invested a significant amount in the project; the largest investor was NRG Energy based in Princeton, N.J. The United States Department of Energy provided a $1.6 billion loan.
For more information, see our article Controversial Ivanpoh Solar switches on.
Controversial Ivanpah Solar switches on
Top 10 Photos of Earth
Big solar in the Persian Gulf
An animated chart of 42 North American butterflies