Schwarzenegger breaks ground on world's largest solar-energy plant

Wed, 27 Oct 2010

Los Angeles - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger broke ground Wednesday on what was touted as the world's largest solar-energy project.

The 370-megawatt Ivanpa Solar Electric Generating System is scheduled to go online in 2013 and produce enough energy to power 140,000 US homes.

Situated in southern California's Mojave Desert, the 2-billion- dollar project covers close to 1,500 hectares and will include 3,600 billboard-sized mirrors, arranged in concentric circles around a central tower. The mirrors will focus the sun's rays on the tower to create steam that will run a turbine.

"Some people look out into the desert and see miles and miles of emptiness," Schwarzenegger said at the event. "I see miles and miles of gold mine. The construction of this renewable energy plant is great news for our state and further proof that it is possible to both protect the environment and grow the economy."

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/350730,melzer-meets-austrian-president-worlds-largest-solar-energy-plant.html.