Searles Valley Minerals to Replace Last Two Coal-Fired Power Plants in California with Solar Technology
Staff Writer | June 20, 2025 | 10:18 AM
Searles Valley Minerals (SVM), a producer of soda ash, borates, and other industrial materials, has announced a partnership with GlassPoint, a company known for its solar thermal technology aimed at reducing carbon emissions. This collaboration focuses on a solar technology project in California that seeks to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. minerals.
According to GlassPoint, this project will provide better economic viability compared to existing coal-based operations and will facilitate the transition from two coal-fired power plants. As part of the initial phase, GlassPoint plans to install 750 MWth of solar thermal technology at SVM’s manufacturing facility in Trona, California, with the goal of reducing carbon emissions by up to 500,000 metric tons of CO2 annually.
Sodium carbonate and boron are critical minerals with extensive applications. Boron, the fifth-lightest element, has a broader range of advanced uses than both rare earths and lithium. Over the next decade, SVM’s facility is projected to become the last U.S.-based production site for boron, ensuring a steady supply of domestic production, according to the company.
SVM’s operations involve processing brine to produce boric acid, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and various specialty products for multiple industries. The brine from Searles Lake is noted for being ten times saltier than seawater and contains one of the richest deposits of multiple minerals, including borax, potassium, sodium, and lithium.
Dennis Cruise, CEO of Searles Valley Minerals, stated, “As coal prices continue to rise, GlassPoint’s solution will enable us to lower costs from day one while protecting American jobs.” The solar steam system developed by GlassPoint will replace the steam currently generated by two coal and natural gas boilers, which are used for both heat and electricity production. Utilizing its Enclosed Trough technology, GlassPoint will employ reflective mirrors within greenhouses to focus sunlight onto a pipe carrying liquid salt, capturing solar energy for boiler operations and onsite power generation.
In addition, GlassPoint will implement its Unify storage system, which uses ternary liquid salts to store heat overnight, providing a continuous base load of heat and power around the clock. Last year, GlassPoint revealed plans for the world’s largest solar thermal plant for mining decarbonization at Saudi Arabia’s Ma’aden.
Rod MacGregor, CEO of GlassPoint, remarked, “Industrial process heat is a $444 billion market, and GlassPoint continues to gain the trust of large industrial providers globally across various sectors, including metals and mining, building materials, and oil and gas.”
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