American-Israeli Company Creates Cutting Edge Solar Power Plant In Negev Desert

California energy company, BrightSource Energy and its Israeli subsidiary LUZ II, unveiled a solar field in Israel this week that will test new technology the company plans to use during the construction of several massive solar power plants in California next year. The new solar field, with its 60 metre-high tower and some 1,641 mirrors, sits on about 12,000 square metres of Israel's southern Negev Desert. While it is capable of generating 1.5 megawatts, it does not produce electricity for public use, but rather test the technologies that will power future plants, which will be about 50 times larger than the one in Israel. BrightSource Energy and its Israel subsidary LUZ II are currently at the forefront of a global race to find energy alternatives to replace fossil fuels. A race that analysts estimate is worth over 150 billion U.S. dollars per year. 06/17/08