justthetipping
127993
1830
22
Saw this on my flight from DTW to SFO #solar_power #nevada
Jun 16, 2018 4:28 PM
justthetipping
127993
1830
22
Saw this on my flight from DTW to SFO #solar_power #nevada
REXo3446
They call it the Death Star.
DrWho3
This is the UFO they have been looking for
TrueNorthernLights
Anyone else try to blow away the hair on their screen from that thumbnail, or am I the only one?
witkop
That seems to be a dolphin of sand to the right
MrSisterFister
That's no moon.
skywire
That’s no moon.
EternalSenshi
IS THAT WHAT THOSE ARE?? I've always wondered!!
Ryncakes
Oh neat! I thought that looked familiar. I flew over this and took a picture too, last time I flew in to SFO. :D
7StringAstronaut
Cool. I saw it on OAK to ERW, too.
Guitardrumr
...Helios?
gtferrari
That's no moon!
YouDontKnowMeIDontKnowMe
OO THANK YOU! I saw them last month flying from DEN to LAX and had no idea where to start on finding out what they are!
ollikahn
send dunes
harpo3000
Los Angeles 2049
PhluxKapacitor
I've driven by this on hwy 95. The central collector is so bright it's difficult to look at even with sunglasses on.
natabus
Out future's so bright, we gotta wear shades!
Camstor
Home Means Nevada! I pass this all the time.
minipancho94
I've of my favorite bits about these types of plants is that birds fly through the beams and basically just explode.
CubbyPawws
That's no crescent dunes...
Kermy116
Now I know what those are! I see them every time I fly to Vegas and never knew what they were for!
Verbodentoegang
Or we have a fully operational Deathstar 2.0 !
hokeyreligions
It unfortunately doesn't seem to be near as efficient as they hoped. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crescent_Dunes_Solar_Energy_Project
natabus
True. I wonder how much of its shortfall was from downtime, and how much is just over-estimates of the design?
hokeyreligions
Before the leak in 2016 it was at 75% of predicted output. Now it only seems to be at 20% at best. It's too bad.
JohnSelth
I heard that animal rights groups hate that thing with a passion.
KronaSamu
These things fry birds
TomReiber1
Thank You! "Green" energy, my ass, this is nothing but a scam to steal taxpayers dollars by the Obozo Regime to fund his crony buddies.
ostater
Looks like something made by a Bond villain
prattleassassin
Does it have a frickin' laser beam?
Filanwizard
Was kinda done in 007 Die Another Day.
DasAu
Bird frying laser!
HiddenSanity
These days they add deterrents around the cook zone. Occasional bird ignores them, but some humans ignore warning signs, too.
Treblaine
robsquared
My favorite fact about this is that there's a term for birds that burst into flames: streamers
Leithoa
I think they put in some ultrasonic deterents there.
TheSubWoofer
It is definitely responsible for some bird deaths.
Mavgurian
Also true for windpower plants. But in the end blowing toxins into the air and polluting the sea is far worse for everyone, also in future.
v3g4n4l1f3
The fact that it reflects back the sunlight, means that it is actually quite inefficient! We have a long way to efficient renewable energy
natabus
What is it about the reflecting back that makes it inefficient? Mirrors are like, 99% efficient! The loss is in the power production.
v3g4n4l1f3
The job of solar panels is to collect energy from the sun. Instead energy is reflected back. Perfect solar panels would seem totally black
v3g4n4l1f3
Mirrors funktion is to REFLECT the light, but solar panels is to COLLECT it. As it reflects it, it loses large amounts of potential energy
natabus
Advanced Single Crystal Si panels are 26.7% efficient. A simple, common mirror is 99.9% efficient. The LOSS is in the POWER GENERATION.
trucknuts123
There is so much open unused land with 300+ days of sun in this country. Half of Nevada could supply all of the U.S.
catapulter
it never will.
MyTrashCanIsFull
but no one lives there, transmission is the problem.
twfeline
New Mexico. Perfect for turning the whole state into one big solar cell.
Cheomesh
So. Transmission. It's a humdinger.
FernandoRumdebum
It's actually the storage! Transmission is an issue ya but not insurmountable. But with these solar plants, it's storing the energy that 1/
FernandoRumdebum
2/ is the problem. You'd need battery farms of pretty much equal size to cover night, downtime, etc. It's a shame because solar is just 1/
FernandoRumdebum
3/ free energy that is easy to harness. No having to setup turbines in raging seas lol
natabus
True, but you could place electricity hungry industries nearby, like Aluminum refining.
Cheomesh
And the housing to support the workers? Secondary support industries and the housing for those? Ancillaries and housing for that?
natabus
They already do the same co-locating with Hydro-electric. Sure, you got water, but its often out in the middle of nowhere in the mountains.
TCGView
Neat project. Downside is though that it kills a lot of birds. Literally fries them mid-flight and they drop dead.
samwyze
Scavengers gonna scavenge.
ClaytonBrannon
I doubt there are a lot of birds in such a desolate area plus a cat or glass skyscrapers kill a lot more with no benefit.
chaedoc
Should maybe put up some signs to warn them.
natabus
I was thinking recorded predatory bird calls. Hawks and such.
JessieJanson
They have system to scare the birds away.(giant inflatable cats for instance)(This is not the truth)(they do have systems to drive themAway)
HiddenSanity
Deterrents are being added these days, dramatically reduces that number.
venomousduck78
Renewable energy, and feeds the homeless. Win-Win
hearthstoneaccount3
Cats still kill more birds so who fucking cares. If you care for birds start killing housecats
Gorsoo
or don't let out your cats
aPokal
Do you need a hug?
hearthstoneaccount3
I want people to stop with this bullshit excuse
aPokal
Sure. Like more birds die on cars or simply crashing into glass, than by wind turbine. But. Do. You. Need. A. Hug?
EternalSenshi
Asking the important questions!
TheTastiestTampon
We all know that this is HELIOS One.
Distortionfiend
Activating ARCHIMEDES II never ends well
MoxRavager
Pretty much all the locations in NV are real. Even the sunken bomber you can save from lake mead is intact under the actual lake.
Pawntoast
Funnily enough each mirror on that facility is called a heliostat. I’m a mechanical/environmental engineer. AMA!
b0Bm3h
HELIOS ONE coming back online. Jason bright and his followers blasting into the great unkown.
b0Bm3h
Vast. Blast it.
Grunski
Big iron on his hiiiiiiiiip
JohnSmitheson
live near Agua Fria makes me feel AZ pride even if just a story
spermy1
I actually downloaded that song and sing along frequently
Distortionfiend
It's a fucking tune!
Hutchy01
Patrolling the Mojave...
JustLettingPeopleBeWrong
No! No!!
BlueskydragonFX
...nuclear winter.
TheFrozenNorwegian
... Makes you wish for a...
DrWolfram
... Nuca Cola ...