Construction on the $6 billion, 1GW plant is expected to start by the end of 2010, with production starting in 2013. Developer Solar Millennium, a company based in Germany, says the plant will generate 1,066 construction jobs and 295 permanent jobs.
The plant will use "parabolic trough" system whereby parabolic mirrors focus the sun's energy onto collector tubes. Fluid in the tubes is then heated and sent to a boiler, which sends live steam to a turbine to produce electricity.
Meanwhile South Africa unveils plans this week for what it claims will be the world's biggest solar power plant (also 1GW in size) – a radical step in a coal-dependent country where one in six people still lacks electricity. The giant mirrors and solar panels in Northern Cape would reduce carbon emissions and generate one-tenth of the country's energy needs. 90% of South Africa's energy is currently produced by coal fired power plants.
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