{{Short description|American power company}} {{Infobox company | name = AREVA Solar | logo = | caption = | type = Subsidiary of Areva | traded_as = | fate = | predecessor = Ausra Inc. | successor = | foundation = {{Start date|2007}} as Ausra Inc. | founder = Dr. David Mills, Prof. Graham Morrison, Peter Le Lievre | defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | location_city = Mountain View, California | location_country = United States | locations = | area_served = | key_people = Sam Shakir (CEO) | industry = Solar energy | products = CSP technology | services = Design, manufacture and installation of solar steam generators | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = 120 | parent = Areva | divisions = | subsid = | homepage = {{URL|www.solar.areva.com}} | footnotes = | intl = }} '''Areva Solar''' was part of the renewable energies portfolio of the French nuclear group Areva, headquartered in Mountain View, California, with offices in the United States and Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.solar.areva.com|title=Orano - Donnons toute sa valeur au nucléaire|website=www.solar.areva.com}}</ref> It designed, manufactured and installed solar steam generators for electric power production and industrial steam uses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.areva.com/EN/operations-3640/concentrated-solar-power-technology.html|title=Orano - Donnons toute sa valeur au nucléaire|website=www.areva.com}}</ref> Before 2010, the company existed as Ausra Inc. In August 2014, AREVA announced it was shuttering AREVA Solar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Areva-Abandons-Solar-and-Shutters-Its-Ausra-Concentrated-Solar-Effort|title=Areva Abandons Solar and Shutters Its Ausra Concentrated Solar Effort}}</ref>

== History== Ausra was formed as Solar Heat and Power Pty Ltd in 2002 in Sydney, Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abr.business.gov.au/|title=ABN Lookup|date=1 November 2014}}</ref> The company was co-founded by Dr. David Mills, Professor Graham Morrison and Peter Le Lievre.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ausra.com/pdfs/Design240MWsolarthermalpowerplant_Mills_2004.pdf |title=Design info |website=www.ausra.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812012934/http://www.ausra.com/pdfs/Design240MWsolarthermalpowerplant_Mills_2004.pdf |archive-date=12 August 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Solar Heat and Power Pty Ltd constructed a 1MW pilot solar plant at Liddell Power Station in 2005 and then began work on a 5MW extension to that project in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ausindustry.gov.au/programs/innovation-rd/redi/Documents/REDI-Round1GrantOffers.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-04-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407031448/http://www.ausindustry.gov.au/programs/innovation-rd/redi/Documents/REDI-Round1GrantOffers.pdf |archive-date=2012-04-07 }}</ref> The project was renamed the "John Marcheff Solar Project" by its owner, Macquarie Generation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ausra.com/pdfs/LiddellOverview.pdf |title=Overview |website=www.ausra.com }}</ref>

Solar Heat and Power relocated to the United States in 2007 and was renamed as Ausra.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ausra.com/news/releases/070910.html |title=News release |website=www.ausra.com}}</ref> The company began operation of its {{convert|130000|sqft|adj=on}} solar thermal power systems plant in Las Vegas in July 2008. The facility was the first comprehensive solar thermal manufacturing plant in the United States.<ref>[http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2008/07/ausra-opens-us-solar-thermal-factory-52936 Ausra Opens US Solar Thermal Factory], 1 July 2008</ref><ref>[http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/07/areva-boosts-solar-supersteam-parameters-in-bakersfield Areva Boosts Solar Supersteam Parameters in Bakersfield], Charles W. Thurston, 16 June 2010</ref>

In the fallout of the 2008–09 recession, Ausra laid off 10% of its workers and redirected its efforts toward making solar equipment for other companies rather than building its own power plants.<ref> {{cite web | url= http://greenlight.greentechmedia.com/2009/01/29/ausra-update-layoffs-confirmed-and-change-of-business-plans-1039/ | title= Ausra Update: Layoffs Confirmed and a Change of Business Plans | first= Michael | last= Kanellos | date= January 29, 2009 | work= Green Light | publisher= Greentech Media | access-date= 2009-01-29 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090131085517/http://greenlight.greentechmedia.com/2009/01/29/ausra-update-layoffs-confirmed-and-change-of-business-plans-1039/ | archive-date= January 31, 2009 | url-status= dead }} </ref> In October 2008, Ausra launched the 5 MW Kimberlina Solar Thermal Energy Plant in Bakersfield, California. In November 2009 the company canceled its plans to build the 177&nbsp;MW Carrizo Energy Solar Farm in California.

In November 2009, Ausra announced that it was seeking to sell itself, because "it will not be able to deploy its capital-intensive solar technology on a large scale without the backing of major company."<ref> {{cite news | url= http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/ausra-solar-looking-for-a-buyer/ | title= Ausra Solar Looking for a Buyer | last= Woody | first= Todd | date= November 17, 2009 | work= The New York Times | access-date= 2010-02-08 }}</ref>

In February 2010, the Areva bought Ausra, and renamed it Areva Solar.<ref> {{cite news | url= http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/nuclear-power-giant-buys-solar-firm/ | title= Nuclear Power Giant Buys Solar Firm | last= Wald | first= Matthew L. | date= February 8, 2010 | work= The New York Times | access-date= 2010-02-08 }} </ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infogrok.com/index.php/energy/areva-to-acquire-ausra.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212110801/http://www.infogrok.com/index.php/energy/areva-to-acquire-ausra.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 February 2010 |title=Areva To Acquire Ausra |publisher=InfoGrok |access-date=25 January 2009 }}</ref>

However, in August 2014, Areva exited the Solar industry following the Fukushima nuclear disaster.<ref> {{cite web | url= http://social.csptoday.com/markets/areva-exits-csp-after-net-loss-first-half-2014 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140804220141/http://social.csptoday.com/markets/areva-exits-csp-after-net-loss-first-half-2014 | url-status= usurped | archive-date= August 4, 2014 | title= AREVA Exits CSP after net loss in first half 2014 | date= August 1, 2014 | publisher= CSP Today | access-date= 2014-08-01 }} </ref>

== Organization == Areva Solar was one of four units in Areva's renewable energies business group. Sam Shakir was CEO of Areva Solar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=10266|title=Bill Gallo named Areva Solar CEO - REVE|website=www.evwind.es|date=19 February 2011 }}</ref> He succeeded Bill Gallo former CEO of AREVA Federal Services in 2012. In 2011, Gallo replaced Dr. Robert Fishman former CEO of Ausra. In 2007, Fishman replaced founding Ausra CEO Peter Le Lievre<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ausra.com/news/releases/070920.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827160542/http://www.ausra.com/news/releases/070920.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-08-27|title=Electric Power Industry Leader Joins Ausra|website=www.areva.com}}</ref> AREVA Solar was headquartered in Mountain View, California.

==Technology== Areva Solar specialized in concentrated solar power (CSP) technology, which uses lenses and mirrors to direct a large area of sunlight onto a small surface.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.moraassociates.com/publications/0903%20Concentrated%20Solar%20Power.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-06-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813052238/http://www.moraassociates.com/publications/0903%20Concentrated%20Solar%20Power.pdf |archive-date=2011-08-13 }}</ref> In particular, the group employs Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector (CLFR) technology, a type of CSP in which flat moving reflectors follow the path of the sun and reflect its radiation to the fixed pipe receivers above.<ref name="auto"/> Water flows through the receivers, generating saturated and superheated solar steam, which in turn generates electricity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.areva.com/EN/operations-3641/compact-linear-fresnel-reflector-technology.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100907003701/http://www.areva.com/EN/operations-3641/compact-linear-fresnel-reflector-technology.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-09-07|title=CLFR: how it works|website=www.areva.com}}</ref>

CLFR differs from other forms of CSP because the mirrors are flat rather than parabolic, and they turn on a single axis, following the sun. They are cheaper to produce than parabolic mirrors, and they are smaller, allowing more reflectors to be installed in less space.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jcwinnie.biz/wordpress/?p%3D2470 |title=Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector – After Gutenberg |access-date=2011-07-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628054350/http://jcwinnie.biz/wordpress/?p=2470 |archive-date=2011-06-28 }}</ref>

==Projects== Areva Solar had a number of projects aimed to advance research and development activities in the renewable energy sector.

Kimberlina solar plant in Bakersfield, California, began operation in October 2008. It was the first new CSP facility in California in nearly 20 years. The Kimberlina plant had a 5-MW capacity—enough power for 3,500 homes in central California.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2008/2008-10-23-092.html|title=Mirrors Up at New California Solar Thermal Power Plant|last=staff|website=www.ens-newswire.com}}</ref> It was the first CLFR plant to be built in North America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.areva.com/EN/solar-164/areva-solar-kimberlina-solar-power-plant-research-facility.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526060529/http://www.areva.com/EN/solar-164/areva-solar-kimberlina-solar-power-plant-research-facility.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2017-05-26|title=AREVA Solar Kimberlina Solar Power Plant & Research Facility|website=www.areva.com}}</ref>

Areva Solar commenced a 44-MW solar thermal addition with CS Energy to the existing 750-MW Kogan Creek Power Station in Queensland, Australia. This station was to produce more electricity with the same amount of coal. The project, subsidized by the Australian government, was estimated to cost A$104.7&nbsp;million. It would be the world's largest solar integration with a coal-fired plant, designed to reduce the facility's greenhouse gas emissions by 35,600 metric tons annually.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://greenworldinvestor.com/2011/04/15/solar-energy-coal-hybrid-power-plant-at-queensland-by-areva-investing-in-tripe-renewable-energy-play-in-biomassnuclear-and-solar-thermal-for-growth/|title=Unique Solar Energy Coal Power Plant at Queensland by Areva investing in Tripe Renewable Energy Play in Biomass,Nuclear and Solar Thermal for growth - Green World Investor|website=greenworldinvestor.com}}</ref> However by March 2016 this project had been cancelled only partially completed.<ref> [https://www.arena.gov.au/assets/2016/09/Kogan-Creek-Solar-Boost-Final-Report.pdf Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project Final Report 2016] </ref>

In April 2012, Areva Solar announced that it would build a concentrated solar power (CSP) installation in Rajasthan, India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cleanbiz.asia/news/areva-bags-contract-build-asia%E2%80%99s-largest-csp-solar-plant-india |title=Areva bags contract to build Asia's largest CSP solar plant in India |publisher=CleanBiz.Asia |access-date=29 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529233419/http://www.cleanbiz.asia/news/areva-bags-contract-build-asia%E2%80%99s-largest-csp-solar-plant-india |archive-date=29 May 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref> It would be Asia’s largest CSP installation and would be operated by India’s Reliance Power Limited.<ref>{{cite web|title=Areva Reaches Major Milestone on Concentrated Solar Power Project in India |url=http://www.areva.com/EN/news-10088/areva-reaches-major-milestone-on-concentrated-solar-power-project-in-india.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304190539/http://www.areva.com/EN/news-10088/areva-reaches-major-milestone-on-concentrated-solar-power-project-in-india.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2016-03-04 |publisher=Areva |access-date=22 May 2014 }}</ref>

In 2014 the Areva CLFR Reliance Rajasthan plant was commissioned. <ref> {{Cite web |date= |title=Reliance commissions 100 MW concentrated solar power plant in Rajasthan, India |url=https://helioscsp.com/reliance-commissions-100-mw-concentrated-solar-power-plant-in-rajasthan-india/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702021627/https://helioscsp.com/reliance-commissions-100-mw-concentrated-solar-power-plant-in-rajasthan-india/ |archive-date=2020-07-02 |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=HELIOSCSP}} </ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:Companies based in California Category:Solar energy companies of the United States Category:Areva Category:2002 establishments in Australia Category:Australian companies established in 2002 Category:American companies established in 2002