PG&E enters 92MW solar thermal deal with NRG Energy in California

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Adding to its ever-growing list of solar projects in California, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has signed off on a 92MW solar thermal deal with Alpine SunTower, LLC, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc. The project builds on eSolar and NRG’s existing collaborative agreement that saw the companies agree to bring around 500MW of solar thermal energy to the U.S.

Scheduled for completion in 2012, the new installation will be situated close to Lancaster, California and will utilise eSolar’s solar thermal technology, which features a proprietary combination of optics and software. The plant will consist of two 46-MW sites, each of which will be located on a quarter square mile of land.

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

“With the only operating solar power tower technology in the U.S., this new agreement with world-class utility PG&E points to the success of NRG and eSolar to develop solar thermal generation,” said Bill Gross, CEO of eSolar. “eSolar’s power towers can be designed in variable configurations and are easily scalable to meet the growing and evolving needs of forward-looking power providers like PG&E.”

Read Next

July 9, 2026
Clean energy investor confidence in Australia has deteriorated sharply over the past year, according to the Clean Energy Investor Group (CEIG).
July 8, 2026
The Australian government launched a First Nations Set Aside pilot within its CIS, reserving 500MW of renewable energy capacity in Tender 9.
July 8, 2026
NERSA approved licences for four REIPPPP Bid Window 7.3 solar projects, clearing over 1GW of new capacity in South Africa.
Premium
July 8, 2026
The combination of grid shortages and massive recent expansion has put European solar developers in a “critical” position, according to the CEO of veteran German solar EPC and developer, Belectric.
July 8, 2026
Leeward Renewable Energy (LRE) has brought 525MW of solar capacity online in Oklahoma, with a further 200MW under construction.
July 8, 2026
A report by think-tank ECNO has blamed grid bottlenecks, permitting delays and flexibility limitations for a slowdown in the EU’s renewables growth.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
April 20, 2027
Istanbul, Türkiye