Palo, Alto, Calif.-based Ausra and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently launched Kimberlina Solar Thermal Energy Plant, Bakersfield, Calif., showcasing the solar company's next-generation concentrating solar thermal technology. At full output, Kimberlina will be able to generate 5 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 3,500 homes in central California.
The Kimberlina plant is the first solar plant in the country to utilize Ausra's next-generation technology, and it is the first solar thermal power plant of any type built in California in nearly 20 years.
