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The largest concentrated solar power (CSP) facility in the world is planned for Blythe, Calif. CSP technology employs parabolic trough-shaped mirror reflectors to collect and concentrate sunlight on water-filled tubes suspended over the mirrors, which heats the water and creates steam to drive electricity-generating turbines housed in a central power block.

On Sept. 15, 2010, Solar Millennium received unanimous approval from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to build and operate what would be the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) facility in the world in
Blythe, Calif. Blythe is in Riverside County, located on the California-Arizona border where Interstate 10 crosses the Colorado River. This is Sonoran Desert land.

This effort is a joint venture of Solar Trust of America and its global partners, Solar Millennium AG, a german developer and supplier of parabolic trough collector technology used in powering solar thermal power plants, and Ferrostaal AG, a worldwide provider of industrial services and plant construction and engineering. Solar Trust of America has nine proposed concentrated solar power plants in advanced stages of development in California and Nevada.

The solar facility would cover a 9.3 square mile area, with four 250-megawatt plants built to deliver enough electricity to power more than 300,000 homes annually. At peak operation, the Blythe solar complex would supply enough electricity for 800,000 homes, according to CEC Chairperson Karen Douglas. Construction is expected to begin by the end of the year.

Blythe, Calif. also uses desert sun power at its Ironwood State Prison.

Federal Land

The location of the approved solar facility is on federal land. The project must secure a Record of Decision approving a right of way grant from the Federal Bureau of Land Management. Such a decision is expected this fall.

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