BrightSource Energy Scales Back Solar Plans
A campaign by conservationists has led to BrightSource Energy scaling back its planned solar facility in California, reports Business Green. The US solar energy firm, BrightSource Energy, has said it will scale back its proposed solar thermal plant in California to protect the local population – of tortoises.
Campaigners have been concerned about the impact the solar plant could have on the desert tortoise which is an endangered species. It’s a native species of the Mojave region and its habitat is being threatened by an increasing number of thermal solar projects in the area.
The BrightSource project, the Ivanpah solar array, is due to become fully operational in 2012 and consists of three large arrays. Two of them are set to produce 100MW while the third was to produce 200MW. However, in order to protect the tortoises, the company has proposed reducing the size of the third area by 23% and instead of the five planned towers there will be just one.
The changes to the plans mean that the facility will produce 11% less electricity than previously hoped – 392MW.
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Source: Business Green.com