Have You Ever Flown Over The Bright Source / Google Ivanpah Solar Thermal Farm in the California Desert?
Google has made significant investments in renewable energy, including solar power. While Google itself does not operate solar power plants, the company has committed to using renewable energy sources to power its operations.
Google has made substantial investments in large-scale renewable energy projects, including solar farms, through power purchase agreements (PPAs). These agreements involve Google committing to purchase the electricity generated by renewable energy facilities for a predetermined period, typically several years.
One notable example is the Google-backed 175-megawatt (MW) Ténéré Solar Project in Khenchela, Algeria. This solar plant, developed by a consortium of companies including SolarReserve, is expected to provide clean energy to the region and support Google's sustainability goals.
Furthermore, Google has actively pursued renewable energy procurement across various locations worldwide. The company has invested in multiple solar farms and has signed numerous long-term agreements to ensure a sustainable and clean energy supply for its data centers and other operations.
The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, commonly known as the Ivanpah Solar Plant, is a large-scale concentrated solar thermal power facility located in the Mojave Desert in California, United States. It is jointly owned by NRG Energy, BrightSource Energy, and Google.
The Ivanpah Solar Plant uses concentrated solar power (CSP) technology to generate electricity. It consists of three solar thermal power towers surrounded by a field of mirrors, known as heliostats, that track the sun and reflects its rays onto a central receiver atop each tower. The concentrated sunlight heats water within the receiver, producing steam that drives turbines to generate electricity.
The plant has a total installed capacity of 392 megawatts (MW) and covers approximately 3,500 acres of land. It began commercial operation in February 2014 and has since been contributing renewable energy to the grid. The electricity generated by the Ivanpah Solar Plant is supplied to utility companies under long-term power purchase agreements.
The Ivanpah Solar Plant represents a significant investment in renewable energy infrastructure and has been recognized as one of the largest concentrated solar power facilities in the world. It contributes to reducing carbon emissions by displacing the need for conventional fossil fuel-based power generation.