14 DAY TRIAL // Just yesterday, it was announced that the world's largest solar thermal plant became operational.
Thus, it was on February 13 that the facility, located southwest of Las Vegas, started producing clean electricity destined for homes in the state of California, in the US.
The plant, dubbed the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, is the result of a collaboration between NRG Energy, Inc., Google, and BrightSource Energy.
It sits in the Mojave desert and spans an area of about 5 square miles (almost 13 square kilometers), information shared with the public says.
It comprises three towers measuring about 450 feet (about 137.2 meters) in height each, and 350,000 mirrors about the size of a regular garage door.
These mirrors serve to focus solar energy onto boilers that sit atop the towers. This leads to the creation of Steam which serves to power turbines.
In a press release, NRG Energy, Inc. explains that the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System has an energy generating capacity of 392 megawatts.
This output is said to be enough to meet the electricity demand of about 140,000 homes in California.
Besides, specialists estimate that, by having this many homes powered by solar, the state's annual greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by about 400,000 metric tons.
“At full capacity, the facility’s trio of 450-foot high towers produces a gross total of 392 megawatts (MW) of solar power, enough electricity to provide 140,000 homes with clean energy and avoid 400,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, equal to removing 72,000 vehicles off the road,” NRG Energy, Inc. explains.
“Cleantech innovations such as Ivanpah are critical to establishing America’s leadership in large-scale, clean-energy technology that will keep our economy globally competitive over the next several decades,” adds Tom Doyle, president, NRG Solar.
Presently, the electricity output of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System accounts for 30% of the United States' overall solar thermal energy capacity.