BrightSource Energy, an Oakland, Calif.-based builder of solar-thermal utility plants, announced it raised $115 million in funding to expand into markets around the world.

BP Alternative Energy and StatoilHydro Venture joined Google in the investment, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

BP Alternative Energy has pledged to invest $1.5 billion into solar, wind, hydro and other technologies by the end of 2008. Other investors include Google.org, the search-engine's charitable wing, VantagePoint Venture Partners, Black River, Morgan Stanley (AMEX:BWN), DBL Investors, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Chevron Technology Ventures.

BrightSource also reportedly signed a deal with Pacific Gas & Electric (NYSE:PCG) to build a series of plants that will generate 900 megawatts of electricity in California's San Luis Obispo County. Construction is expected to start in 2009. In addition, the firm expects to put a demonstration facility online this summer in Israel.

"We're enthusiastic about the potential of solar-thermal technology to deliver utility-scale electricity cheaper than coal," said Dan Reicher, Google.org's director of climate change and energy initiatives. "We think BrightSource has a very promising technology and team."