On June 19th, 2012 Brightsource Energy Inc. (Oakland, California, U.S.) released an update on the progress of its 392 MW Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating Station, estimating that construction of the project is 40% compl
2000 workers are currently on site lifting tower and boiler sections into place, installing power plant equipment in the power block and installing heliostats. The company also notes that on April 24th, 2012 USC CMAA Green Symposium recognized the Ivanpah SEGS for "2012 Energy Project of the Year".
"The sheer magnitude of the Ivanpah project is reinforcing California’s position as the leader of renewable energy in the United States," said USC Green Symposium Co-Chair Caroline Fletcher. "The project has demonstrated an innovative approach to partnerships and is significantly contributing to job creation in the region."
Brightsource notes that April and May 2012 brought more daylight working hours to the Ivanpah project, as well as warmer weather. The company’s heliostat construction team is regularly reaching a goal of assembling more than 500 heliostats daily, with work taking place 20 hours a day, in two 10-hour shifts.
In Unit 1’s solar field, pylon installation is 92% complete, and more than 30,000 heliostats have been installed. In its three units, Ivanpah will comprise enough glass in its heliostats to replace all the windows of the Empire State Building, a U.S. landmark that was once the world’s tallest building, 54 times.
Ivanpah has reached the most advanced stage of construction among a number of large CSP projects in the U.S. Southwest. When complete, the project will almost double the CSP capacity in the United States, as the nation has completed few large CSP plants since the early 1990’s.
