Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Google is investing $168 million in an alternative power project that aims to produce enough solar energy to light 140,000 homes.

The commitment is part of the financing that BrightSource Energy needs to build a solar power plant in California's Mojave Desert. BrightSource also has lined up $1.6 billion in loans guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Energy, and a $300 million investment from NRG Energy Inc.

The project, known as the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, is supposed to generate about 392 gross megawatts when it's completed in 2013.