亮源能源公司

公司收入：不详

公司总部：奥克兰

所属行业：电力

成立时间：2006年

员工人数：350人

    人们通常指责太阳能的普及速度不够快，对解决美国面临的能源短缺问题作用有限。亮源能源公司（BrightSource）希望能够改变这种局面。该公司目前正斥资21亿美元，在莫尔韦沙漠建设一座392兆瓦的太阳能热电厂。艾文帕发电厂能为14万户家庭提供电力，将于2013年投入使用。太阳能光电板被广泛应用于大型公共项目中， 而该公司的新技术与此有所不同。亮源能源工厂使用35万块镜子，通过不断旋转，跟踪太阳的运动，将太阳的热能反射到450英尺的高塔上。太阳的热能将高塔上水罐中的水烧热，产生蒸汽，从而使发电涡轮机运转。顾问咨询机构IDC能源观察（Energy Insights）研究部经理杰伊•霍尔曼表示，该工厂产生的电力比燃煤或燃气发电站产生的电力价格要高。但是，该公司相信，它能在2015年提供具有竞争性价格优势的电力供应。

    ——布莱恩•杜梅因

BrightSource

Revenue: Not available

Headquarters: Oakland

Industry: Power generation

Founded: 2006

Employees: 350

    The rap on solar is that it can't scale up fast enough to make much difference in solving our nation's energy challenges. BrightSource aims to help change that with its $2.1 billion, 392-megawatt solar thermal plant in the Mojave Desert that will generate enough electricity to power 140,000 homes; the Ivanpah facility will go online in 2013. The technology is different from photovoltaic panels, which are also used in big utility projects. The BrightSource plant employs 350,000 mirrors that rotate to track the movement of the sun and reflect its heat onto a 450-foot tower. The sun's heat boils a tank of water in the tower, which creates steam, which runs a turbine that generates electricity. Jay Holman, a research manager at consulting firm IDC Energy Insights, says the electricity this plant generates will be more expensive than that from coal- or gas-fired electric plants. The company believes it can get its prices competitive by mid-decade.

    --B.D.