US Department of Energy Awards 13 Projects $62,000,000 for Concentrated Solar Research

The United States Department of Energy has awarded 13 projects $62,000,000 for Concentrating Solar Power (CSP). Green Car Congress reports:

CSP technologies concentrate the sun's energy and capture that energy as heat, which then drives an engine or turbine to produce electrical power. CSP plants can include low-cost energy storage, allowing them to provide electricity even when the sun is not shining.

The selected projects will seek to improve component and system designs to extend operation to an average of about 18 hours per day, a level of production that would make it possible for these plants to displace traditional coal-burning power plants.

The following companies won the awards:

1. Abengoa Solar, Inc. - Lakewood, CO - up to $10.6 million


2. eSolar, Inc. - Pasadena, CA - up to $10.8 million


3. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne - Canoga Park, CA - up to $10.2 million


4. General Atomics - San Diego, CA - up to $2.1 million


5. HiTek Services, Inc. - Owens Cross Roads, AL - up to $3.0 million


6. Infinia Corporation - Kennewick, WA - up to $3.0 million


7. PPG Industries, Inc. - Cheswick, PA - up to $3.0 million


8. SENER Engineering and Systems Inc. - San Francisco, CA - up to $3.1 million


9. SkyFuel, Inc. - Albuquerque, NM - up to $4.3 million


10. SunTrough Energy, Inc. - Chatsworth, CA - up to $4.5 million


11. Terrafore, Inc. - Riverside, CA - up to $1.4 million


12. University of South Florida - Tampa, FL - up to $2.5 million


13. Wilson TurboPower, Inc. - Woburn, MA - up to $3.7 million

I hope the number 13 is lucky for the DOE, and the money is not spread too thin to bring about results that will make solar an actuality in replacing coal-fired power plants.

Read More in: Solar | technology

Share this Article with others:

Related Articles:

• Burlington, Vermont Airpot Gets Solar and Wind Power - Jan 07, 2010
• Solar and Hand Cranked Radio Perfect for Camping and Emergencies - Jun 15, 2009
• Solar Panels in the Sahara Desert Could Power ALL of Europe - Mar 17, 2009

Came straight to this page? Visit Really Natural for all the latest news.

Posted by Jennifer Lance at May 11, 2010 1:00 AM