BrightSource Energy

BrightSource Energy designs, develops and deploys concentrating solar thermal technology to produce high-value steam for electric power, petroleum and industrial-process markets worldwide. BrightSource combines breakthrough technology with world-class solar thermal plant design capabilities to generate clean energy reliably and responsibly. BrightSource’s solar thermal system is designed to minimize impact to the environment and help customers meet their clean energy goals. Headquartered in Oakland, Calif., BrightSource Energy is a privately held company with operations in the United States, China, Europe, Israel and South Africa.

A HISTORY OF SOLAR EXPERTISE

The principal members of our technical team pioneered the first utility-scale solar energy plants nearly three decades ago by designing and developing 354 megawatts of solar thermal electric power plants, which continue to operate in California today. In 2013, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, a 377 megawatt solar power plant utilizing BrightSource technology came online, delivering power under 25-year power purchase agreements to Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Southern California Edison.

The BrightSource team has extensive finance and project development expertise, and has collectively developed, constructed, and managed more than 20 gigawatts of solar, wind and conventional power projects worldwide. Today, the BrightSource technical team is building on this experience to advance the solar thermal industry by developing and deploying a solar tower system that provides both higher solar energy conversion efficiencies and lower costs.

CLEAN, RELIABLE, AND COST-COMPETITIVE ENERGY

BrightSource’s solar thermal technology generates power the same way as traditional power plants – by creating high temperature steam to turn a turbine. However, instead of using fossil fuels or nuclear power to create steam, BrightSource technology uses the sun’s energy. In addition to steam for electric power applications, BrightSource technology offers solutions for a variety of industrial steam needs including enhanced oil recovery, mining, manufacturing and agriculture.  In addition, by integrating our technology with natural gas or other fossil fuels through a process referred to as hybridization, projects using our systems are able to further increase output and reliability.

BrightSource’s system uses proprietary software to control thousands of tracking mirrors, known as heliostats, to directly concentrated sunlight onto a boiler filled with water that sits atop a tower. When the sunlight hits the boiler, the water inside is heated and creates high temperature steam. Once produced, the steam is used either in a conventional turbine to produce electricity or in industrial process applications. By integrating conventional power block components, such as turbines, with our proprietary technology and state-of-the-art solar field design, projects using our systems are able to deliver cost-competitive, reliable and clean power when needed most. 

MISSIONS AND VALUES

Mission Statement

BrightSource Energy designs, develops and deploys concentrating solar thermal technology to produce high-value electricity and steam for power, petroleum and industrial-process markets worldwide.

Vision Statement

BrightSource Energy will develop and advance the technology necessary to harness the sun’s limitless potential to meet the world’s clean energy needs.

Values

• Safety â€¨
  We value the safety and health of our employees and customers.
• Integrity

  We strive to uphold the highest standards of integrity in everything we do.
• Excellence
  
We focus on quality and efficiency with passion to ensure we are leaders in our industry.
• Environment
  We are committed to creating a more sustainable world.
• Teamwork

  We strive to work as an integrated global team.

BrightSource’s solar thermal energy systems generate power the same way as traditional power plants – by creating high temperature steam to turn a turbine. However, instead of using fossil fuels or nuclear power to create the steam, BrightSource uses the sun’s energy.

At the heart of BrightSource’s proprietary solar thermal system is next-generation solar field design, optimization software and a control system that enable the creation of high pressure, high temperature steam. The steam can then be integrated with conventional power plant components for electricity generation or for use in industrial process applications, such as thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Benefits of BrightSource’s solar thermal system include:

• Optimized solar field design to match utility peak generation demand requirements
• More reliable and consistent power output than intermittent renewable resources such as photovoltaic (PV) solar and wind
• Increased production capability through thermal energy storage and hybridization with fossil fuels
• Application for industrial purposes, including enhanced oil recovery (EOR)