December 3, 2011. Sunborne Energy LLC, a solar-project developer backed by billionaire Vinod Khosla, is among companies bidding to build solar power plants in India's Karnataka state. The southern state held an auction to award contracts for 80 megawatts of solar projects that will benefit from an assured buyer and preferential rates. Solar-thermal plants use sunlight to heat liquids that produce steam for generators, while photovoltaic plants use panels to turn sunlight directly into power. Two solar-thermal bids for 20 megawatts of capacity were received from Sunborne and Atria Power. The rest of the bids were for photovoltaic projects.