BrightSource Energy is expected to go public in 2011.
Israeli solar energy company BrightSource Energy and French power company Alstom have partnered to build solar thermal power plants throughout the Mediterranean and in Africa.
The plants will use BrightSource’s solution that relies on thousands of mirrors all focused on a central tower with a water boiler atop of it to heat the water and turn it to steam which then turns a conventional turbine that generates electricity.
According to John Woolard, CEO of BrightSource Energy, the agreements,
“reflect the growing global demand for highly efficient, reliable and environmentally-responsible solar power plants. With decades of experience building power plants in these regions, Alstom is an ideal partner as we expand into these markets.”
This latest partnership comes after BrightSource raised $55 million from Alstom in May and ongoing news of the solar plant BrightSource is planning to build in the Mojave desert in California. The plant is set to be the largest solar energy plant in the world. The company is also expected to announce an IPO soon.
Neither company revealed a time frame for the Mediterranean “ring”.
Israeli solar technology company ZenithSolar revealed this week the third generation of its solar panel technology. The new technology combines heating and electricity in a manner that can make it affordable without government subsidies.
Image via BrightSource Energy.
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Author: Lisa Damast
Lisa Damast is an online marketing consultant by day and blogger of Israel technology by night. Her blog, Israel Innovation 2.0, provides news and analysis of Israeli technology companies in the enterprise software, Web 2.0 and cleantech sectors. Lisa is also a co-organizer of the Jerusalem Business Networking Forum (JBNF). JBNF helps facilitate online and offline networking among business professionals in Jerusalem, including in the cleantech industry. Lisa made aliyah in August 2007 after receiving a degree in Communication Studies from Boston University in May 2007. Lisa can be reached at lisa (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
In a region plagued with constant conflict renewable energies will give a different scale of independence to its peoples. this is exciting news regardless your general feelings on the region
I wonder if they are connecting in any way to the Desertec initiative?