Speaking metaphorically, Ausra business development chief Thomas Bartolomei says, "We have irons in the fire" but no signed deals yet.

FORBES: A solar project's funding freezes up.

So Ausra is now thinking that maybe coal isn't so bad.

FORBES: A solar project's funding freezes up.

It is developing giant off-shore wind turbines, biomass power plants (including projects in Florida and Washington with Duke Energy), and, with its Ausra acquisition, solar thermal power plants.

FORBES: Solar Thermal or Solar Photovoltaic? Areva Says 'Both!'

Areva bought the Mountain View, Calif. company Ausra, a company that has developed a system of reflectors that concentrates and directs sunlight to create steam and spin a turbine.

FORBES: Areva Taps The Other Nuclear Source: The Sun

She declined to give details, but the plant is being developed by Areva Solar, the division made up largely of the solar thermal company Ausra that Areva bought in March.

FORBES: Solar Thermal or Solar Photovoltaic? Areva Says 'Both!'