Southern California Edison has signed a contract to procure an additional 245MW of solar power for its customers from Pasadena-based eSolar, as part of the first commercial US effort to use power tower solar thermal technology.
The project, which will be built in the Lancaster area of California, is expected to begin delivering energy in 2011, with a total of 105MW of renewable solar power by 2012, ramping up to 245MW by 2013.
Stuart Hemphill, vice president of renewable and alternative power at Southern California Edison (SCE), said: Solar is the great untapped energy resource for California, it is renewable and plentiful. We rely on innovative companies such as eSolar to help expand our portfolio and to secure access to the most promising technology solutions.