World's Biggest Concentrating Solar Power Plant Opens in California

Ivanpah, the world's biggest concentrating solar plant, opened in California on February 13. Credit: BrightSource Energy

The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, the world's biggest concentrating solar power (CSP) plant, officially opened on February 13. As the 1st commercial deployment of innovative power tower CSP technology in the United States, the Ivanpah plan was the recipient of a $1.6 billion loan guarantee from the Energy Department's Loan Programs Office.

Ivanpah has the capacity to generate 392 megawatts of electricity-enough to power 94,400 average American homes-most of which will be sold under long-term power purchase agreements to Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison Company. The plan is a joint effort by NRG, Google, and BrightSource Energy.

Ivanpah is one of 5 CSP plans that received loan guarantees from the Energy Department. When these plans are completed, they will provide a combined 1.26 gigawatts of electric capacity. These loan guarantees are also helping to finance the 1st solar thermal storage plan and the 1st power tower with solar thermal storage in the United States, as well as some of the world's biggest parabolic trough CSP plants. See the Energy Department news release.

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