Google Invests $80 Million to Open 6 Solar Energy Plants

 

        Google is investing $80 million in 6 new solar plants in California and Arizona that the company says will provide enough electricity for 17,000 homes in the United States. The investment is Google’s 14th in renewable energy. The company has so far put more than $1 billion behind solar and wind projects since April 2010. Google is partnering with investment firm KKR for the venture; the lead developer is Recurrent Energy.

       According to a Google blog post, the projects have a combined capacity of 106 megawatts. A typical coal power station produces 600-700 megawatts while a nuclear power plant puts out 900-1,300 megawatts. Google currently gets 33% of its energy from renewable sources, but hopes to be 100% reneawble at some point.

Google Invests $80 Million to Open 6 Solar Energy Plants

 

        Google is investing $80 million in 6 new solar plants in California and Arizona that the company says will provide enough electricity for 17,000 homes in the United States. The investment is Google’s 14th in renewable energy. The company has so far put more than $1 billion behind solar and wind projects since April 2010. Google is partnering with investment firm KKR for the venture; the lead developer is Recurrent Energy.

       According to a Google blog post, the projects have a combined capacity of 106 megawatts. A typical coal power station produces 600-700 megawatts while a nuclear power plant puts out 900-1,300 megawatts. Google currently gets 33% of its energy from renewable sources, but hopes to be 100% reneawble at some point.

ConEdison Joining Solar Power

 

   Sempra U.S. Gas & Power and Consolidated Edison Development (ConEdison) became equal partners in two of Sempra U.S. Gas & Power’s solar power facilities, the 150 megawatt Copper Mountain Solar 2 plant near Las Vegas and the 150 megawatt Mesquite Solar 1 plant near Phoenix. Under the terms of the joint-venture agreement, which was announced in May 2013, each company will own a 50% interest in each of the solar facilities. The terms of the transaction, however, were not disclosed.

      Mesquite Solar 1, the first phase of the Sempra U.S. Gas & Power’s Mesquite Solar Power complex located in Arlington, Arizona, was completed in late 2012. Mesquite Solar 1 generates enough clean electricity for about 56,000 homes. Power from the facility has been fully sold to Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) under a 20-year contract. 

       The first phase of Copper Mountain Solar 2 is also complete and is currently generating 92 megawatts of solar power. When the second phase is fully constructed (expected in 2015), the project’s total operating capacity will be 150 megawatts. The solar power plant generates enough clean energy to power about 45,000 homes. Power from the facility has also been fully sold to PG&E under a 25-year contract.