eSolar announces funding boost for scaleable, pre-fabricated solar plants

eSolar has raised $130 million in funding for the deployment of its solar thermal power plants. The scaleable, pre-fabricated power plants are designed to cut construction costs and deliver renewable energy solutions tailored to the needs of particular communities.

Large scale solar utility projects can face significant construction costs in addition to requiring large parcels of land and expensive transmission line improvements to bring the power out of the deserts and into the cities. The modular nature of eSolar is designed to minimize costly civil construction and the use of heavy equipment, reducing project cost and deployment time.

Based on eSolar’s 33 MW pre-fab form-factor, the company’s modular design translates to minimal land requirements and are tailored to fit local resources and produce a low environmental footprint, favoring a straightforward sitting and permitting process. Various locations with multitude interconnection options mean that eSolar can deliver more clean, carbon free power where it is needed; close to the cities and towns where it is consumed.

“The eSolar power plant is based on mass manufactured components, and designed for rapid construction, uniform modularity, and unlimited scalability,” said Asif Ansari, CEO of eSolar. “Rather than over-engineering the solution, eSolar’s smart scalable solar architecture targets what we see as the four key business obstacles facing the sector: price, scalability, rapid deployment, and grid impact.”

eSolar's approach to power plant design revolves around a tiered delivery model, beginning with a 25 MW base unit, called a module, consisting of several thermal receiver towers, each with a field of heliostats. These modules are replicated as many times as necessary to fit specific power requirements. Modules can be constructed in series to continuously meet long term energy goals, or in parallel to deliver large amounts of energy quickly. The ability to customize facility development, financing and construction mean that eSolar’s projects have the potential to range is size from 25MW to over 500MW.

The eSolar plants run on solar thermal power systems, using reflected sunlight as a heat-source to drive electric generators.

eSolar has secured land rights in the southwest United States to support the production and transmission of over 1 GW of power and the company aims to have a fully operational power plant up and running in southern California later this year. The new funding has come via Idealab, Google.org, Oak Investment Partners, and other investors.