Google pumps US$145M into oilfield solar plant
by The Associated Press
The plant will be fitted with nearly 250,000 SunEdison solar panels and generate enough energy to power 10,000 homes
NEW YORKâGoogle Inc. is helping to convert a one-time oil field into a solar power plant.
The Internet company is providing $145 million in financing so SunEdison can build the plant north of Los Angeles in Kern County.
The plant will be fitted with nearly 250,000 SunEdison solar panels and generate enough energy to power 10,000 homes. Google said the project will bring 650 jobs to the area.
SunEdison Inc. expects the plant to be operational later this year and supply power to utility company Southern California Edison. The plant is owned by TerraForm Power Inc., a subsidiary of SunEdison, based in Beltsville, Maryland.
It is the 17th renewable energy project Google has invested in. It has committed to investing more than $1.5 billion in projects around the country, the Mountain View, California-based company said.