Google Invests $168 Million in Solar Power Project

Google has just invested $168 million into a solar power plant in the Mojave Desert. The plant, which will be run by BrightSource Energy, aims to produce enough solar energy to power more than 100,000 homes.

BrightSource Energy will also be getting funding for their project from the federal government. The Associated Press reports that BrightSource Energy will be getting $1.6 billion in loans from the U.S. Department of Energy. BrightSource has also secured a $300 million investment from NRG Energy Inc.

Google has sunk a lot of money into alternative energy projects in the past, but this will be their largest investment to date.

The BrightSource Energy Solar Farm will use an Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System to produce solar energy. The Ivanpah Power Tower is expected to be up and running by 2013, and will produce 392 MW of solar energy, which according to Google, is the equivelent of taking 90,000 gas cars off the road.

Google said in a statement:

“We need smart capital to transform our energy sector and build a clean energy future. This is our largest investment to date, and we’ve now invested over $250 million in the clean energy sector. We’re excited about Ivanpah because our investment will help deploy a compelling solar energy technology that provides reliable clean energy, with the potential to significantly reduce costs on future projects.”

[Source: Google, Inhabitat]