THE ATTRACTION OF SOLAR

Why Buffett, Apple, Google love solar power

Jackie DeAngelis, June 8, 2014 (USA Today)

“The $100 billion solar power industry is gaining a lot of attention both globally and domestically, attracting high-profile investment from Wall Street giants such as Apple, Google and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway…The United States is the world's third-largest solar market, right behind China and Japan, and it's growing rapidly not just because of private investment, but also because of the Obama Administration's efforts to make progress against global climate change…One notable, completed project is called Ivanpah, a partnership [in solar thermal technology] between NRG and BrightSource…The $2.2 billion project was able to get up and running thanks in part to $1.6 billion in government loans, plus Google's 20% investment…Another set of photovoltaic facilities making headlines are the Solar Star Projects developed by SunPower and acquired by MidAmerican Solar for roughly $2 billion. Berkshire Hathaway's energy unit owns MidAmerican Solar's parent, MidAmerican Renewables, which is working on a basket of different solar projects…” click here for more

From Ivanpah unit 1's tower, looking across its heliostat field to units 2 & 3. (click to enlarge)

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