Google and Facebook Invest in Solar Power

Google announced yesterday a $100 million investment in the Shepherds Flat Wind Farm in Oregon. The massive wind power facility, expected to be the largest on shore plant in the world upon completion, will generate 845 MW of clean electricity - enough to power more than 235,000 homes.

Google's latest renewable energy splurge brings its recent investments in clean power generation to more than USD$350 million. In the last couple of weeks, the search giant has also invested in a solar farm in Germany and sunk USD$168 million in the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System project, currently under construction in in the Mojave Desert in California. Google has also made prior investments in green energy, including powering some of its own facilities with solar power.

The other 900 pound gorilla of the online world, Facebook, is also taking some tentative steps towards powering facilities with renewable energy. According to Data Center Knowledge, a 100kw solar panel array has been constructed at Facebook's new 28,000 square meter data center in Prineville, Oregon. The solar power system is expected to generate 204,000 kilowatt hours of solar electricity a year. Facebook will be monitoring the solar farm's performance, with view to perhaps rolling out similar installations at other facilities.

While FaceBook has been heavily criticised for sourcing power for its data centers from coal-fired power generation sources, the company has been placing a special focus on energy efficiency - and sharing that knowledge with the industry.

Facebook set itself a goal to build one of the most efficient and economical computing infrastructures at the lowest possible cost and as a result, their Oregon data center uses servers that are 38% more efficient and 24% less expensive to build and operate. The company has released specifications and mechanical drawings through the Open Compute Project.

Source:   Energy Matters

Masdar Raises $600 Million for U.A.E. Solar Project With Total, Abengoa

Masdar, the Abu Dhabi-backed renewable energy company, and its European partners Total SA (FP) and Abengoa SA (ABG) raised $600 million in financing for the Shams 1 concentrated solar thermal plant.

Shams Power Co. received a 22-year loan from 10 lenders including BNP Paribas (BNP), which is also the financial adviser, and National Bank of Abu Dhabi PJSC (NBAD), according to an e-mailed statement today.

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates and holder of almost all of the country’s oil reserves, is expanding its use of solar and wind power in an effort to become a regional hub for renewable energy. The emirate is building Masdar City, a business and residential complex designed to emit minimal carbon emissions, and serves as headquarters for the International Renewable Energy Agency.

Shams 1 will be one of the largest concentrated solar power plants in the world, extending over an area of 2.5 square kilometers with a capacity of 100 megawatts. Concentrated solar reflects sunlight, usually with mirrors, to heat liquids that generate power with steam turbines. Photovoltaic plants use solar panels that convert sulight directly to electricity.

Shams Power, which will build, operate and maintain Shams 1, is 60 percent owned by Masdar. Total and Abengoa hold 20 percent each. Construction began in the third quarter of 2010 and will be completed in two years, the statement said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ayesha Daya in Dubai at adaya1@bloomberg.net

Concentrating Solar Power Reaches a Tipping Point

CSP developers have signed contracts for 8,700 MW of CSP projects - enough to power New York City.   Their operation and maintenance, as well as the manufacturing of their components, are expected to create tens of thousands of jobs in America..

CSP technology consists of systems that concentrate radiation from the sun to produce thermal energy for various uses.    Thermal energy storage allows for the utility to tailor the electricity output of a CSP plant to meet demand.

Because of higher than PV efficiency rates and the ability to store energy - CSP's are becoming a more popular option for utility sized solar projects.

Source:   Solar Today.   Read the full article.