Abengoa Creates Solar Energy Subsidiary in U.S.

"It seems clear that CSP is now poised to grow rapidly in the southwestern states due to the growing need for power from clean energy source," said Fred Morse, who was appointed Senior Advisor for Abengoa's U.S. activities in CSP.

Morse, who served as Executive Director of the White House Assessment of Solar Energy in the late 1960s, and furthered solar energy R&D at the U.S. Department of Energy, is co-Chairman of the Western Governors Association Solar Task Force and Chairman of the CSP Division of the U.S. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

Abengoa will propose solutions based on parabolic troughs as the principle component of the CSP plant. Future plants may offer other CSP technologies as justified by cost, performance and risk profiles. Solucar Power will leverage the parent company's resources and expertise in conventional and solar power plant engineering, construction and operation, as well as in control systems and biofuels.

Solucar Power also purchased Industrial Solar Technology (IST) Corporation's assets and technology in solar troughs. IST, based in Denver, Colorado, has 20 years' experience in CSP with trough systems for industrial and commercial steam applications.

Since its founding in 1941, Abengoa has expanded to include solar energy, bioenergy, environmental services and information technology. Operating in more than 70 countries, it recently completed an 11 MW central receiver plant in Spain and has started construction of a 20 MW plant. Abengoa is also a producer of biofuels, with three ethanol plants in the U.S. and others under development and construction.