http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/i/3214/

US Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced late last week that the Nevada desert is to be the home of a new solar energy test site.

The 25 square mile Solar Demonstration Zone, which will be located in part of a former nuclear testing site, was chosen over 26 other potential sites to try out cutting-edge solar energy technologies.
The Department of Energy (DOE) use the site as a proving ground to bridge the gap between advanced technology development and full-scale commercialization efforts.
“These projects… can significantly reduce the costs and environmental impacts of utility-scale solar power facilities and demonstrate the commercial viability of these facilities,” commented Secretary Salazar.
Nevada Senator Harry Reid, who has been leading the state’s bid to house the site added:
“Nevada stands to be the leader in solar power production and technology development… The Test Site can and should be a proving ground for new ideas and for attracting new clean energy industries that will help our state and country compete globally.”
Initially, the DOE says it will use the site to demonstrate concentrating solar power (CSP), which is just starting to be deployed on a commercial scale.
The technology, which captures the sun’s energy as heat to drive an engine or turbine to produce electricity, has the advantage of being able to store energy over short periods to help overcome the variability problem.
Earlier this year, the US Government backed loans to CSP specialist Abengoa Solar to start construction on the world’s largest CSP plant in Arizona and to BrightSource Energy.