Engineering giant Areva buying solar firm Ausra
French engineering giant Areva said Monday that it will buy Ausra, a Mountain View startup specializing in large-scale solar power. The deal will give Areva a way to break into the growing worldwide business for big solar facilities that can generate as much electricity as a fossil fuel power plant. Although Areva is best known for its nuclear expertise, the company has branched out into other forms of renewable power generation, such as biomass and wind.
Ausra, in turn, will get a worldwide platform for its concentrated solar thermal technology, which uses mirrors to focus sunlight, boil water, generate steam and turn turbines. Ausra will form the basis of Areva's new global solar energy business, which will match Ausra's technology with Areva's track record for building large power plants.
