This is the first investment made by a Japanese company in CSP solar energy projects. JGC Corporation is to enter into a partnership with Abengoa Solar for owning two CSP power plants, each with 50 MW of installed capacity, in El Carpio (Córdoba), Spain. Abengoa is retaining 74% of ownership in the projects, and remains the operator of both facilities.

Both 50 MW CSP projects are under construction at the moment, and are expected to be completed and operational early 2012. They will feature parabolic trough technology, and will be able to generate enough clean electricity in peak generation times, to power about 52,000 average homes in the area.

JGC Corporation's Executive Vice President, Koichi Kawana, stated his company regards CSP technology as one of the most promising for dealing with global warming issues.

[source: Abengoa Solar, image: Flip Franssen]