ESolar
Encyclopedia
eSolar was founded by the Pasadena
-based business incubator Idealab
in 2007 as a developer of concentrating solar power (CSP) plant technology.
The company aims to develop a low cost alternative to fossil fuel
s through a combination of small heliostat
s, modular architecture, and a high-precision sun-tracking system.
generator which converts the energy to electricity. The steam out of the turbine is condensed and pressurized back into the receiver.
A 46 MW eSolar power unit consists of sixteen heliostat fields and towers, a single steam turbine generator set, and a steam condenser, with a typical footprint of approximately 100 hectares (250 acres). These basic 46 MW units are designed to be scaled up to fit specific power requirements.
plant, a commercial facility in Lancaster, California
that demonstrates the company's technology. Sierra SunTower is interconnected to the Southern California Edison
(SCE) grid and, as of spring 2010, is the only commercial CSP tower facility in North America.
Sierra SunTower includes two eSolar modules. 24,000 heliostats, divided between four sub-fields, track the sun and focus its energy onto two tower-mounted receivers. The focused heat converts feedwater piped to the receivers into superheated steam that drives a reconditioned 1947 GE
turbine generator to produce electricity. The steam passes through a steam condenser, reverts back to water through cooling, and the process repeats.
During the 12 months of construction, Sierra SunTower
created over 300 temporary jobs. In
operation, the site employs 21 permanent employees.
Sierra Suntower has been certified by the California Energy Commission
as a renewable energy
facility. Power from the facility is sold under a Power Purchase Agreement
(PPA) with SCE, providing renewable energy for up to 4,000 homes.
The 5 MW output from Sierra SunTower
reduces CO2 emissions by 7,000 tons per year, an
amount equivalent to planting 5265 acres (21.3 km²) of trees, removing 1,368 automobiles from the road,
or saving 650,000 gallons of gasoline.
The deal represents China's largest CSP project to date (Spring 2010) and has a total potential capital investment of more than $5 billion. Under the master licensing agreement, Penglai Electric will use eSolar's solar thermal technology. The first plant of 92 MW will break ground in 2010. The plants will be co-located with biomass electricity generation facilities, together eliminating 15 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
praised the company for, “…proving that California’s energy and environmental leadership are advancing carbon-free, cost-effective energy that can be used around the world.”
In December 2009, eSolar was honored by the World Economic Forum
as a 2010 Technology Pioneer. The award recognizes eSolar’s technological innovation and global commitment to delivering a clean, low-cost energy alternative to fossil fuels. An interview with Bill Gross
is featured on YouTube where he responds to four questions posed to each of the World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneer 2010 winners.
In December 2009, editors of Power Engineering magazine selected Sierra SunTower as the winner of the “Best Renewable Project”, recognizing the facility as an exceptional power generation project toward meeting growing global demand.
In February 2010, Sierra SunTower won Renewable Energy World’s “Renewable Project of the Year” award. The award recognized eSolar's achievements in the clean energy industry by naming Sierra SunTower an exceptional breakthrough in the commercialization of solar thermal technology.
In February 2010, eSolar was named one of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)'s Technology Reviews 2010 TR50. The TR50 is a list of the 50 most innovative companies in the world, those that have demonstrated superiority at creating technology that transforms how we live. The 2010 TR50 celebrates the development of emerging technologies and the progress made in those already established. eSolar is honored alongside such companies as Google
, Apple
, Twitter
, and IBM
.
In March 2010, the Wall Street Journal's first survey of venture-backed clean-technology companies featured eSolar as a Top 10 Cleantech Company with the capital, executive experience, and investor know-how to succeed in an increasingly crowded field.
, Oak Investment Partners
, NRG Energy
, ACME Group, Idealab
, and Quercus Trust.
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
-based business incubator Idealab
Idealab
Idealab is a business incubator based in Pasadena, California.-History:Idealab was founded by Bill Gross in March 1996...
in 2007 as a developer of concentrating solar power (CSP) plant technology.
The company aims to develop a low cost alternative to fossil fuel
Fossil fuel
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years...
s through a combination of small heliostat
Heliostat
A heliostat is a device that includes a mirror, usually a plane mirror, which turns so as to keep reflecting sunlight toward a predetermined target, compensating for the sun's apparent motions in the sky. The target may be a physical object, distant from the heliostat, or a direction in space...
s, modular architecture, and a high-precision sun-tracking system.
Heliostat design
eSolar has designed heliostats that are smaller than the industry norm, allowing for pre-fabrication, mass-manufacturing, and easy installation, thereby reducing production and installation costs.Sun-tracking software
eSolar has developed a sun-tracking control system that is able to calibrate heliostats and monitor the performance of each heliostat within the field. Tests have shown an unprecedented pointing accuracy and high thermal concentration ratios. [citation]Power tower and electricity generation
An array of heliostats reflect solar radiation to a tower mounted thermal receiver. The concentrated solar energy boils water in the receiver to produce steam. The steam is piped to a steam turbineSteam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
generator which converts the energy to electricity. The steam out of the turbine is condensed and pressurized back into the receiver.
Module
eSolar's field layout design is built around the concept of scalable modules. Each module comprises several thousand heliostats arranged in two subfields - north and south - which track the sun and concentrate solar energy to the tower mounted receiver. The field layout is a simple, regular design that eliminates precision surveying and ground penetration.A 46 MW eSolar power unit consists of sixteen heliostat fields and towers, a single steam turbine generator set, and a steam condenser, with a typical footprint of approximately 100 hectares (250 acres). These basic 46 MW units are designed to be scaled up to fit specific power requirements.
Sierra SunTower
In the summer of 2009, eSolar unveiled the 5 MW Sierra SunTowerSierra SunTower
Sierra SunTower is a 5 MW commercial concentrating solar power plant built and operated by eSolar. The plant is located in Lancaster, California and is the only CSP tower facility operating in North America.- Project overview :...
plant, a commercial facility in Lancaster, California
Lancaster, California
Lancaster is a charter city in northern Los Angeles County, in the high desert, near the Kern County line. Lancaster currently ranks as the 30th largest city in California, and the 148th largest city in the United States. Lancaster is the principal city within the Antelope Valley...
that demonstrates the company's technology. Sierra SunTower is interconnected to the Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison , the largest subsidiary of Edison International , is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California, USA. It provides 14 million people with electricity...
(SCE) grid and, as of spring 2010, is the only commercial CSP tower facility in North America.
Sierra SunTower includes two eSolar modules. 24,000 heliostats, divided between four sub-fields, track the sun and focus its energy onto two tower-mounted receivers. The focused heat converts feedwater piped to the receivers into superheated steam that drives a reconditioned 1947 GE
Gê
Gê are the people who spoke Ge languages of the northern South American Caribbean coast and Brazil. In Brazil the Gê were found in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Piaui, Mato Grosso, Goias, Tocantins, Maranhão, and as far south as Paraguay....
turbine generator to produce electricity. The steam passes through a steam condenser, reverts back to water through cooling, and the process repeats.
During the 12 months of construction, Sierra SunTower
Sierra SunTower
Sierra SunTower is a 5 MW commercial concentrating solar power plant built and operated by eSolar. The plant is located in Lancaster, California and is the only CSP tower facility operating in North America.- Project overview :...
created over 300 temporary jobs. In
operation, the site employs 21 permanent employees.
Sierra Suntower has been certified by the California Energy Commission
California Energy Commission
The California Energy Commission is California’s primary energy policy and planning agency. Created in 1974 and headquartered in Sacramento, the Commission has responsibility for activities that include forecasting future energy needs, promoting energy efficiency through appliance and building...
as a renewable energy
facility. Power from the facility is sold under a Power Purchase Agreement
Power Purchase Agreement
Power Purchase Agreements are contracts between two parties, one who generates electricity for the purpose of sale and one who is looking to purchase electricity . There are various forms of Power Purchase Agreements; these are differentiated by the source of energy harnessed...
(PPA) with SCE, providing renewable energy for up to 4,000 homes.
The 5 MW output from Sierra SunTower
Sierra SunTower
Sierra SunTower is a 5 MW commercial concentrating solar power plant built and operated by eSolar. The plant is located in Lancaster, California and is the only CSP tower facility operating in North America.- Project overview :...
reduces CO2 emissions by 7,000 tons per year, an
amount equivalent to planting 5265 acres (21.3 km²) of trees, removing 1,368 automobiles from the road,
or saving 650,000 gallons of gasoline.
NRG
NRG Energy, Inc. partnered with eSolar in February 2009 to develop solar power plants with a total generation capacity of up to 500 MW at sites within California and across the Southwestern United States. Additionally, NRG invested approximately $10 million for equity and associated development rights for three projects and a portfolio of PPAs to develop, build, own and operate up to 11 eSolar modular solar generating units at these sites. The development assets will use eSolar's concentrating solar power (CSP) technology to sell renewable electricity under contracted PPAs with local utilities seeking competitively priced, zero-carbon solar power.Penglai Electric
In January 2010, eSolar announced a partnership with Penglai Electric, a privately owned Chinese electrical power equipment manufacturer, to build 2,000 MW of solar thermal power plants in China by 2021.The deal represents China's largest CSP project to date (Spring 2010) and has a total potential capital investment of more than $5 billion. Under the master licensing agreement, Penglai Electric will use eSolar's solar thermal technology. The first plant of 92 MW will break ground in 2010. The plants will be co-located with biomass electricity generation facilities, together eliminating 15 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Ferrostaal
In February 2010, Ferrostaal, a global power and industrial plant developer, partnered with eSolar to deploy turnkey solar power plants in countries including Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa. Under the partnership, eSolar will provide solar field and receiver technology, while Ferrostaal will supply the power block, act as general contractor, and manage financing activities.Recognition & awards
When eSolar's Sierra SunTower was unveiled in August 2009, California governor Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
praised the company for, “…proving that California’s energy and environmental leadership are advancing carbon-free, cost-effective energy that can be used around the world.”
In December 2009, eSolar was honored by the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
as a 2010 Technology Pioneer. The award recognizes eSolar’s technological innovation and global commitment to delivering a clean, low-cost energy alternative to fossil fuels. An interview with Bill Gross
Bill Gross
Bill Gross is an American businessman. Born in 1958, he grew up in Encino, California. He founded GNP Loudspeakers , an audio equipment manufacturer; GNP Development Inc., acquired by Lotus Software; and Knowledge Adventure, an educational software company, later acquired by Cendant...
is featured on YouTube where he responds to four questions posed to each of the World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneer 2010 winners.
In December 2009, editors of Power Engineering magazine selected Sierra SunTower as the winner of the “Best Renewable Project”, recognizing the facility as an exceptional power generation project toward meeting growing global demand.
In February 2010, Sierra SunTower won Renewable Energy World’s “Renewable Project of the Year” award. The award recognized eSolar's achievements in the clean energy industry by naming Sierra SunTower an exceptional breakthrough in the commercialization of solar thermal technology.
In February 2010, eSolar was named one of The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)'s Technology Reviews 2010 TR50. The TR50 is a list of the 50 most innovative companies in the world, those that have demonstrated superiority at creating technology that transforms how we live. The 2010 TR50 celebrates the development of emerging technologies and the progress made in those already established. eSolar is honored alongside such companies as Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
, Apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, and IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
.
In March 2010, the Wall Street Journal's first survey of venture-backed clean-technology companies featured eSolar as a Top 10 Cleantech Company with the capital, executive experience, and investor know-how to succeed in an increasingly crowded field.
Investors
eSolar has secured over $182 million in investment funds. Investors include Google.orgGoogle.org
Google.org is the charitable arm of Internet search engine company Google.The organization has committed over $100 million in investments and grants as of May 2010. To fund the organization, Google granted them 3 million shares during their initial public offering. As of August 2011, Google.org's 3...
, Oak Investment Partners
Oak Investment Partners
Oak Investment Partners is a private equity firm focusing on venture capital investments in companies developing communications systems, information technology, new Internet media, healthcare services and retail....
, NRG Energy
NRG Energy
NRG Energy, Inc. is an American energy company headquartered in West Windsor Township, New Jersey, near Princeton.-Electrical Power Generation Operations:...
, ACME Group, Idealab
Idealab
Idealab is a business incubator based in Pasadena, California.-History:Idealab was founded by Bill Gross in March 1996...
, and Quercus Trust.
Management
- President & CEO - John Van Scoter
- Founder - Bill Gross