by Rebecca Walker — September 24, 2010—The California Energy Commission (CEC) has approved the construction of BrightSource Energy Inc.’s Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System. The approval brings BrightSource, a developer of utility-scale solar thermal power plants, one major step closer to commencing construction of the 370 nominal (392 gross) megawatt project.
When constructed, Ivanpah will nearly double the amount of solar thermal electricity produced in the United States today, the company says.
The Ivanpah project is also being reviewed by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which is expected to issue its final Record of Decision in the coming weeks. BrightSource expects to have all of the necessary permits to commence construction in fall 2010.
In February 2010, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded BrightSource Energy $1.37 billion in conditional loan guarantees to support the financing of the Ivanpah project.
For more information, see the Web site.
