A $1.37 billion loan was granted to a California energy company from the United States Department of Energy. This money is to be used to build a large scale solar power plant in the desert of southern California. The company, BrightSource Energy of Oakland, California, is calling this project the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System and is the first project to be passed in over two decades. BrightSource plans to become "the global leader in the clean energy economy" according to secretary Steven Chu. Using mirrors to capture sunlight in order to heat fluid and eventually generate steam, it would be the biggest ever built.
However, there are some negative effects of the building of this plant. Located in the Ivanpah Valley, habitat would be taken away from many animals. This includes the endangered desert tortoise along with other rare animals and plants. BrightSource agreed to reduce the size but environmental groups say it would be inadequate and should definitely be located elsewhere. But, supported by many major companies including Google and BP, this project seems to be headed to construction.
Although there are some drawbacks to the construction of this power plant, the positive outcomes would be in a greater number. The more we know about solar energy and using solar energy technology, the more green our earth will become. It is a reliable source of energy as opposed to coal and oil which harms the environment tremendously. This seems like an ideal location, remote and vast. Some animals and plants will be jeopardized but using solar energy seems more important at this time.
Woody, Todd. (2010 February 22). US Offers Solar Power Project a Crucial Loan Guarantee. The New York Times. Retrived from http://nytimes.com
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