TROUBLE FOR BIG SUN?

US CSP project update: Tough year ahead; CSP Today provides a look at the progression of solar thermal projects in the US, those that have broken ground and the unexpected obstacles others are facing.
Francesca Boothby, 25 February 2011 (CSP Today)

"…[In] 2010…[t]he US Department of Energy had sped up and finessed its Loan Guarantee Program…Two of the worlds largest solar thermal projects were awarded funds…Abengoa Solar received US$1.45 billion and BrightSource Energy received US$1.4 billion as a conditional award…[In] 2011 however, the outlook is rather different.

"…Developers are facing two major barriers – litigation and funding…Tessera's Imperial Valley project was threatened by lawsuits from environmentalists and Native American groups. Despite five years of intensive permitting application work at a cost of over US$20 million, and receiving state and federal approval, a US federal judge granted an injunction to halt further development. The Imperial Valley project was sold in mid-February…"

A concentrating solar power tower plant (click to enlarge)

"…Tessera's 850 MW Calico project in California ran into complications when the project had trouble lining up financing and lost its PPA with Southern Califronia Edison. The project was sold last December…[and buyer] K Road Sun has since announced that it will convert the first 750MW of the Calico project to solar photovoltaic technology (PV) due to it being a more widely tested technology far more likely to ensure immediate financing and reduce environmental impacts.

"…Both projects are now ineligible for Recovery Act funding due to failure to break ground in the allotted time…On January 21st Solar Millennium withdrew its 16-month-old license application for a 250-megawatt solar station called Ridgecrest, citing regulators’ concerns over the project’s impact on the Mohave ground squirrel…"

A parabolic trough concentrating solar power plant (click to enlarge)

"…[There may be] substantial cuts to the DoE Loan Guarantee program…With litigation and funding problems increasing, the progression of CSP projects is not at all as clear as it was last year. The same environmental litigation which blocked Tessera Solar also seeks to challenge construction of Ivanpah, Genesis solar and Blythe…[although Solar Reserve’] Cross Roads Project [won approvals] in January…[including approval of] the associated transmission line…[perhaps because it] is sited on private not federal land…

"For developers of solar CSP (and to a lesser extent PV) these environmental hurdles are coupled with government funding which is under threat and already cautious private investors…[Ironicallly,] the potential of these thermal projects to contribute to carbon reduction…may be blocked by those who represent the very people and protected species threatened by global warming."