Ivanpah, is currently the world's largest group of solar/thermal power plants and it has come online.
The plants function by reflecting sunlight at giant towers containing water. The water boils and generates steam which turn turbines and produce electricity. The three plants, combined, generate enough power to support 140,000 homes every day. In order for a coal, oil or methane ("natural" gas) plant to power that many homes for 25 years, they would add 13 MILLION TONS of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The plant covers nearly 5.5 square miles and utilizes over 300,000 mirrors.
