Today, California’s Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) announced a contract to buy 500 megawatts of solar power from suppliers Abengoa Solar and NextEnergy Resources. PG&E has been one of the state’s, and one of the nation’s, strongest utility supporters of solar and this contract makes up about two thirds of the company’s current strategy to acquire an additional 830 MW of solar. Instead of getting energy from photovoltaics (solar electricity), these projects will utilize concentrated solar power (CSP) technology, which runs a traditional steam turbine with un-traditional means:

Both projects will use proven solar thermal technology to generate renewable energy for PG&E’s electric customers. Curved mirrors in the shape of troughs will focus solar energy onto fluid-filled tubes extending the length of each trough. The heated fluid will then be used to create steam for generating electricity.

One site will be in San Bernardino County, and the other in Riverside County.