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Article: Greener days for Idealab.
- Article from:
- The Star (Amman, Jordan)
- Article date:
- August 10, 2009
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 Al Bawaba (Middle East) Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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By Alana Semuels The hundreds of glass mirrors break the dusty field in Lancaster, Calif., a sea of silver in a landscape of brown. When they were switched on for the first time Wednesday at an opening gala with investors, local politicians and others, they made up the first operational solar tower energy facility in the United States. They reflect the sun into a tower in the middle of the field, boiling water into steam that travels through pipes to power a turbine and create electricity. The plant, created by Pasadena, Calif., company eSolar Inc., will be able to power 4,000 homes. The strength of the small field of mirrors is surprising, but what might be more ...