NTR’S North American Solar Division Applies For Second Large Solar Plant in California
December 02 2008
NTR plc (NTR), a leading international developer and operator in renewable energy and sustainable waste management, today announced that its North American Solar Division, Stirling Energy Systems (SES) has filed an application to build its second large solar electricity generating system in Southern California.
“This important development means that our solar business will be the first company with two large solar projects moving through the permitting process in California, to help secure a cleaner energy future,” said Jim Barry, Chief Executive of NTR. “NTR believes in the long term growth potential of SES and today sees another milestone being achieved in our commitment to addressing the environmental concerns we all face.”
The SES Solar One project will provide electricity for up to 600,000 homes at peak times in Southern California. The project will also provide local and national economic benefits. It is expected to generate an average of 400 construction jobs, 180 permanent operations jobs, and millions of dollars in wages and taxes. It is anticipated that the application process will require approximately 12-18 months, allowing construction to proceed in 2010.
The Application for Certification (AFC) submitted to the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is for an 850-megawatt (MW) solar generation facility. The SES Solar One project would be located on approximately 8,200 acres of desert land east of Barstow in the Mohave Desert.
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About NTR plc
NTR plc is a leading international developer and operator in renewable energy and sustainable waste management. It is Green Plains’ largest shareholder. Founded in 1978, NTR has evolved from being a developer and operator of infrastructure in Ireland to an international developer and operator of renewable energy (wind, solar and bio-ethanol), and sustainable waste management businesses in the USA, UK, and Ireland. The company employs over 4,100 people and has a market capitalization in excess of €896mn.
About Stirling Energy Systems
SES was formed in 1996 to develop and commercialize advanced solar technology. The company maintains corporate headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, offices in Berkeley and Tustin, California, and engineering and test site operations at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The SES SunCatcher is a concentrating solar power (CSP) technology that uses mirrors to concentrate the sun’s energy and convert it to electricity. CSP technologies include dish systems, parabolic troughs, power towers and concentrating photovoltaic. The dish concentrator tracks, collects and focuses the sun’s energy and the Stirling engine converts the thermal energy to grid quality electricity. The SunCatcher technology has significant advantages including power conversion efficiency, cost competitiveness and low water usage. The SunCatcher is a zero emission renewable energy technology.