Google abandons CSP engineering project

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Google is shutting down its in-house CSP engineering project due to the rapidly falling cost of PV panels.

The programme, which focused on bringing down the price of heliostats and reducing water usage at CSP plants, was the centerpiece of the RE<C (Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal) campaign Google launched in 2007 and its premature termination is another hammer blow to the ailing CSP industry.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Over the past year, the cost of PV technology has dropped significantly – module prices have fallen 40% – prompting a number of developers, including Iberdrola and Solar Millennium, to abandon CSP in favour of PV. RE<C’s demise will also impact upon CSP power-tower pioneers BrightSource and eSolar, which were both recipients of investment from Google.

Engineering hurdles and the resignation earlier this month of Bill Weihl, the leader of Google’s clean-energy team, are also thought to have contributed to the decision, which was part of an end-of year cull that saw seven ventures dropped. “In addition, we’ve reached a point in our engineering projects where we’re facing new challenges related to our solar-receiver design. At this point, other institutions seem better positioned than Google to take this work to the next level,” a Google spokesperson told Recharge.

However, Google has insisted that, despite rumours to the contrary, it will not be walking away from the US$850 million it has committed to other renewable projects, such as the 392MW Ivanpah solar power-tower project.

Read Next

October 13, 2025
France’s Engie and the UAE’s Masdar have been chosen to jointly develop a 1.5GW PV power plant near Abu Dhabi.
Premium
October 13, 2025
Brett Beattie of Castillo Engineering looks at some of the key land grading work that can make multimillion-dollar differences to projects.
October 13, 2025
Korean chemical production firm OCI Holdings has acquired a 65% stake in a Vietnamese solar wafer production plant, intending to export solar wafers to the US.
October 13, 2025
The world is on pace to exceed 3TW of cumulative solar installations by the end of the year, according to a report from DNV.
October 13, 2025
The Trump administration has cancelled the 6.2GW Esmeralda 7 solar project in Nevada – once touted as one of the largest in the world.
October 13, 2025
Two Chinese state-owned energy enterprises have signed cooperation agreements on PV and wind power projects with Saudi companies, with the total contract value exceeding RMB30 billion (US$4.2 billion). 

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK