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Energy
S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E
what will be the largest solar energy
project of its kind in the United States.
“It’s called Solar Thermal or Concentrated
Solar Power,” explains Michael Smith,
CEO of SolarReserve. “We utilize mirrors,
or heliostats to concentrate the sun’s
energy in the form of heat, which is then
stored in the molten salt, which is then
used to create steam to turn a turbine
and generate electricity.” SolarReserve
currently has 25 projects in various stages
of development both in the U.S. and
internationally, says Smith.
While solar energy has only a very
slim piece of America’s energy pie, the
projects being developed by SolarRe-
serve are not exactly small. The 540-foot
Power Tower resides at the center of
a two-square-mile field of more than
10,000 tracking mirrors at its Crescent
Dunes solar power facility. Once online,
it will power up to 75,000 homes during
peak electricity periods. SolarReserve’s
construction of the Crescent Dunes
Solar Energy Project will create approxi-
mately 4,300 direct, indirect and induced
jobs, including more than 600 construc-
tion jobs during a 30-month period. The
project will also bring additional tax
revenues as well as secondary/induced
economic activity to the region.
For its part, Pra &Whitney, a company
more o en associated with engine and
turbine production, is involved in
something it calls Organic Rankine Cycle
Technology to create renewable energy
frommyriad resources. True, the company
still makes aircra engines. Its latest
engine, using geared turbofan technology,
not only saves up to 15 percent on fuel, but
also is a lot quieter than conventional jet
engines. But it’s Pra &Whitney’s Organic
Rankine Cycle Technology that could
really make the difference in the genera-
tion of energy from renewable fuels. It
can be used to generate power from
geothermal systems, biomass systems or
from something called industrial waste
heat recovery. “Rankine technology
is a thermodynamic process that has
been around for many years,” explains
Michael Ronzello, director of business
development for Pra &Whitney’s energy
technology unit. “It operates on a principle
similar to a traditional steam cycle, but
instead of using steam, it uses an organic-
based fluid that o en operates at a lower
boiling temperature, so you can take
advantage of a lower temperature source
to create a vapor that drives a turbine
to create electricity. In addition, the
machines do not use or consume water,
which is a tremendous advantage because
water is such a precious resource.”
The concept of industrial waste heat
recovery is quickly catching on, especially
in states like California. It could soon
spread across the entire United States.
It can provide high energy and heat use
industries — such as cement manufac-
turers, steel manufacturers and glass
manufacturers —with a means to recover
heat that o en is lost in manufacturing
processes. “We have actually formed
a new trade association called Heat Is
Power,” which recognizes that recovering
the heat lost in manufacturing operations
is a very efficient way of conserving
fuel, adds Ronzello. All of these energy
initiatives add up to an amazing amount
of job growth in America.
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ARCHIMEDES OR FLASH GORDON?
An artist’s rendering of the Crescent
Dunes Solar Energy Project in
Tonopah, NV, shows the Power Tower
at the center, which stands 540 feet
tall. It will be surrounded by a two-
mile-square field of 10,000 tracking
mirrors called heliostats to direct the
sun’s energy onto the tower. When
completed it will be the largest solar
power project of its kind in the world.