UPDATE 1-BrightSource solar gets $1.6 bln loan guarantee

* US DOE finalizes loan guarantees for solar complex

* Google investing $168 mln in solar project

* BrightSource says has closed financing on the project

* NRG Energy also investor in the Ivanpah complex
(Recasts, adds details, Google investment)

By Ayesha Rascoe

WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) - The U.S. Energy Department
on Monday finalized $1.6 billion in loan guarantees for
BrightSource Energy Inc's Ivanpah solar complex in the
California desert, a project that also received a $168 million
investment from Google (GOOG.O).

BrightSource said the funding announcements close financing
for the Ivanpah project, which was already set to receive up to
$300 million in financing from power company NRG Energy
(NRG.N). [ID:nN27203624]

The $168 million from Google is the company's largest
investment in the clean energy sector to date, Google said in a
statement.

"We're excited about Ivanpah because our investment will
help deploy a compelling solar energy technology that provides
reliable clean energy, with the potential to significantly
reduce costs on future projects," the company said.

The Ivanpah project will consist of three related
utility-scale solar thermal power plants located on federal
land in the Mojave Desert in southeastern California.

The majority of solar power projects developed to date have
been photovoltaic systems, in which sunlight is turned into
electricity using semiconductor materials in panels.

But Brightsource will use thermal, or concentrated solar
power stations where mirrors concentrate sunlight on a fixed
point to heat a liquid that produces steam to power a turbine.

When construction is completed in 2013, the 392-megawatt
project will provide enough power for more than 85,000 homes,
the Energy Department said.
(Editing by David Gregorio)