The California Energy Commission voted unanimously to allow the Abengoa Mojave Solar Project to move forward, the Los Angeles Times reports. Construction of the project should begin in the fourth quarter.
Abengoa's solar facility uses concentrating solar power technology, in which sunlight is focused on a fluid-filled tower. The fluid, which becomes superheated, produces steam to spin a turbine. While the technology can generate a significant amount of power, it's only viable on a large scale; as such, it is only appropriate for uninhabited areas.
The developers of several other California solar projects are hoping to win state approval soon. If they begin building their solar arrays by year-end, they'll be eligible for generous federal solar incentives; if they fail to start construction by the end of December, however, they will miss out.
Nine major solar project proposals are being considered by California regulators; Abengoa's was the second to be approved. The nine projects would produce 4,300 megawatts of clean energy, in total.
