photo originally uploaded by mona, eh
How’s this for green energy: The California Public Utilities Commission yesterday approved contracts for two 49.4-megawatt solar power plants that will use biogas made from cow manure as a backup fuel source. The plants will be located on 640 acres of alfalfa farmland in Southern California’s Imperial Valley and will provide electricity to San Diego Gas &
Electric (SRE). The developer is Bethel Energy, which was founded by Len Daniel, a former engineering executive with the storied solar power pioneer Luz. The Israeli company built eight solar power plants in California’s Mojave desert in the 1980s that are still operating and generating some 300 megawatts of power. The Bethel Solar One and Bethel Solar Two plants will use the latest version of the solar thermal technology devised by Luz. That likely means solar troughs (like the ones at Arizona utility APS’s (PNW) Sagauro solar plant pictured at right) that uses the sun to heat an oil or other 
liquid to create steam to drive a electricity-generating turbine. According to California Public Utility Commission documents, bovine biofuel will be used to pre-heat the plant’s equipment. Cow poop, of course, releases the potent greenhouse gas methane, so using bovine biofuel in a solar power station is a one-two punch against global warming. At least two companies have contracts to sell cow power to California utility PG&E (PCG), but this is apparently the first time it will be used to supplement solar energy.
Green Wombat 
Wow. What great idea!!!
Is there any info on the economics of the deal?
What I don’t understand is why does the plant’s equipment need to be “Pre-heated”? What is the bovine butt fuel doing that couldn’t be done with just solar? Seems to me a better use of the bovine fuel is a natural gas (methane)gathering & distribution plant. It works well lighting my furnace and oven! It easily replaces propane in many devices.