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It is no secret that we face an energy crisis in the US and the entire world. The fossil fuels that run the industrial world are running out and we need to do something about it. We cannot live without electricity, that much is a given. So how do we go about manufacturing electricity in a way that is friendly to the environment? The answer is Solar Power.

The sun is a basically a giant nuclear reactor in the sky, an essentially inexhaustible source of energy that has not yet been fully exploited to help meet our energy needs. Solar power is an excellent alternative to traditional electricity generation and one of the reasons why it has not gained popularity worldwide is primarily a lack of political will. But that seems to be changing, at least in the USA. The US government has decided to take some small but very important steps in 'going green' by way of solar power. And one of the steps in the process is the commitment to set up concentrating solar power plants (CSP) in America.

Recently, President Obama issued a statement where the Government has offered a 1.45 billion loan guarantee to Abengoa Solar, Inc. on a conditional commitment. This amount is directed towards setting up and supporting the initial stages of the Solana plant, which is a 250 net megawatt CSP plant located in Arizona. Obama has praised the move as putting America on a course to a clean energy future and as a source of American jobs that cannot be shipped overseas.

Solana has the capability to supply energy even on cloudy days and well into the evening, working on the basis of its molten salt thermal energy storage capability. One of the main areas the plant is supposed to help is to meet the electricity demand during the peak summer days. The Solana plant is in the advanced stages and has most of the required permissions and authorizations to move forward. The CEO of Abengoa Solar, Mr. Santiago Seage has requested the people and authorities of Maricopa County continue their support and help them successfully get the CSP plant up and running.

A positive consequence of the setting up of the plant is the number of direct and indirect jobs it would create and thereby positively affect the community. Abengoa Solar has also pledged its commitment to use US-made components wherever possible and this includes a variety of machinery and construction materials. Many plants and industries are also in the process of being set up to support the CSP in Arizona such as the mirror manufacturing factory in Surprise, Arizona.

Looking at the project from an environmental perspective, the plant will provide the citizens of Arizona with greenhouse-gas free energy. This is in line with the State's 'green' plans and will help them in turning their desert climate into a thriving green zone that will be the envy of the rest of the country. This is the largest CSP plant in the US and it promises great things to come in the future, with the promise of a better life for its people and also the US in general by setting an example of what the clean energy economy will look like. The project is expected to be fully completed by 2013. 

A&R Solar is a leading Solar Energy installer in the Pacific Northwest, based in Seattle, WA. If you are a Seattle solar seeker, A&R provides turnkey solar installations using 100% in-house labor.

In business since 2007, A&R Solar has successfully installed over 150 solar energy systems, including solar PV and solar hot water. Its team of professionals prides itself on quality craftsmanship and backs all work with an industry-leading 5-year warranty. Learn more about A&R Solar at their website, http://www.aandrsolar.com/

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