The world’s energy market is rapidly changing. From concerns about global warming, to unstable oil and gas markets, the need for clean, utility-scale and commercially viable energy in the U.S. is at an all-time-high. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, renewable energy accounted for only 7 percent of all energy produced in the United States in 2006.

Acciona Solar Power, a majority-owned subsidiary of Acciona Energy, a world leader in renewable energy, recognized the potential for concentrating solar power (CSP) generation in the Southwestern U.S. and built Nevada Solar One, the largest plant of its kind to be built in more than 17 years. Nevada Solar One is currently providing reliable energy to more than 14,000 homes in Nevada annually, while avoiding the amount of CO2 created by 20,000 cars.

As a clean, reliable and cost-efficient technology, CSP offers enormous potential for the United States and Acciona is leading the way in making it a reality.

• The U.S. offers several hundred gigawatts of concentrated solar power potential; however, concentrating solar power accounted for only 1 percent of all energy consumed in the U.S. in 2006.
• Electric power generation in the U.S. currently emits approximately 3 billion tons of CO2 each year. That is 50 percent more than the entire continent of Europe.
• An energy project utilizing CSP technology deployed over an area less than 100 x 100 miles in the Southwest U.S. could produce enough electric power for the entire U.S.
• The strategic implementation of CSP plants in the U.S. could augment and eventually replace fossil-fired power plants leading to a zero carbon grid within just a few decades.
• Insolation (solar radiation) in the desert regions of Nevada is among the best available in the United States. In addition, some of the most significant population centers are located in the area, making the land particularly suitable for solar power plants.
• Less than one-tenth of 1 percent (< 0.1 %) of Nevada’s land could generate all of the state’s current electricity needs. This area is 110 square miles (a little more than 10 x 10 miles), which is less than half of the size of Lake Mead.
• With the addition of Nevada Solar One and a 14-MW solar photovoltaic plant at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada is the Number 1 state in the nation in solar energy generation per capita.