China has inked an agreement with ESolar Inc. of Pasadena (CA) to
build a series of solar thermal power plants in China. It’s one of
the largest renewable energy plants of its kind, with a total
capacity of 2,000 megawatts.
Under terms of the deal ESolar agreed to a countertrade, i.e. they
will construct their power plant receivers in China, rather than in
the U.S. However ESolar will retain control of the intellectual
property behind the technology’s design and operation.
ESolar relies on a sophisticated software system and imaging
technology to control 176,000 small mirrors that form arrays at its
standard 46-megawatt power plant. The software positions the mirrors
to create a virtual parabola to focus the sun on the receiver tower.
The
mirrors’ dimensions — each about the size of a television screen —
allow ESolar to make and install them cheaply and use less land for
the power plant.
