FollowBrightSource Energy Inc. (Oakland, California, U.S.) has applied to the California Energy Commission (CEC) for permission to build a second large concentrating solar power (CSP) project utilizing a solar power tower design.
The 500 MW Hidden Hills Solar Electric Generating System (HHSEGS) has been proposed for 13.3 square kilometers of privately owned land in Inyo County, California, 72 kilometers west of Las Vegas, Nevada.
The proposed project will be comprised of two 270 MW CSP plants. The CEC notes that the solar power tower technology for the HHSEGS system will utilize a taller receiver tower at 230 meters, which will allow for heliostat rows to be placed closer together, utilizing less land for equivalent power generation.
The project will now undergo the CEC approval process, which includes an assessment of environmental impacts.
New project follows troubled Ivanpah project
BrightSource is currently constructing its 392 MW Ivanpah CSP project near Primm, Nevada. The Ivanpah project has seen multiple legal challenges, including claims that regulatory agencies did not adequately consider potential impacts to wildlife habitat.
However, unlike the HHSEGS, the Ivanpah project is located on land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which provides more opportunities for legal challenges.
Source: solarserver
