Tech | August 23, 2008 | 26 comments

New rays of hope for solar power's future

source: http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2008/08/22/new-rays-of-hope-for-solar-powerâ&#...

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JanforGore
From five miles away, the Nevada Solar One power plant seems a mirage, a silver lake amid waves of 110 degree F. desert heat. Driving nearer, the rippling image morphs into a sea of mirrors angled to the sun.

As the first commercial “concentrating solar power” or CSP plant built in 17 years, Nevada Solar One marks the reemergence and updating of a decades-old technology that could play a large new role in US power production, many observers say.

“Concentrating solar is pretty hot right now,” says Mark Mehos, program manager for CSP at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Co. “Costs look pretty good compared to natural gas [power]. Public policy, climate concern, and new technology are driving it, too.”

Spread in military rows across 300 acres of sun-baked earth, Nevada Solar One’s trough-shaped parabolic mirrors are the core of this CSP plant – also called a “solar thermal” plant. The mirrors focus sunlight onto receiver tubes, heating a fluid that, at 735 degrees F., flows through a heat exchanger to a steam generator that supplies 64 megawatts of electricity to 14,000 Las Vegas homes.

Today the United States has 420 megawatts of solar-thermal capacity across three installations – including Nevada Solar One. That’s just a tiny fraction (less than 1 percent) of US grid capacity. But Nevada Solar One could signal the start of a CSP building boom.

Efforts to generate another 4,500 megawatts of solar thermal power are now in development across California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico – all of which have the flat, near-cloudless skies most desirable for solar thermal, the Solar Electric Industries Association reports.

Photovoltaic panels that produce electricity directly from the sun’s rays work well on rooftops, but are still too costly for utility-scale power generation. Solar thermal, however, is nearing the cost of a natural gas-fired turbine power plant – making it a winner with several power companies that have signed long-term contracts to purchase solar-thermal power.
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We all need to demand this now, and we need to tell Congress, especially Senate Republicans who vote down tax incentives for renewable energy that they can no longer get away with continuing to put us at risk for their own profit. Republicans in this country, do you not see what those who claim to support you are doing to the future of your children? This should not be a Democratic or Republican issue, this is a human issue and right now we need new, clean, efficient, safer sources of energy not only to wean us off ALL oil, but to provide a better planet for our children, create jobs, and bring peace. Solar power is our future, and it is wonderful to see these strides taking place now.

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26 comments // New rays of hope for solar power's future

  • heidilittle
  • globewatcher
  • Wetdog
  • cibalin
  • mo1y
    • 0
      mo1y  

    • When the technology is ready then Sun will replace coal and oil not before.

      It is not fair, that Pittsburgher pay taxes to Southwest States to support their Solar Power. Solar Power is impractical in Pittsburgh, because we don't get that many sunny days.

      If the Southwest wants solar power welfare, then the Southwest States should provide the tax dollars.

      Quit giving me this "chicken little" stuff about "Climate Change" aka "Global Warming", and mad scientist predictions. It's all about money.

    • 3 years ago
  • Wetdog
    • 0
      Wetdog  
    • mo1y:

      Why should people in the desert Southwest pay more for solar power because the people in Pittsburgh want to have steel mills and burn thousands of tons of coal and coke per year?
      Forget global warming. What about acid rain? What about stripmines? What about damage to the waterways from the stripmines, and pollution dumped by the factories in Pittsburgh? What about soot and smog? What about ashes, cinders and soot dumped out after the coal is burned?

      Think maybe we ought to not provide subsidies to places where there is sun to use solar energy? OK, then we should just close Pittsburgh. They shouldn't have to pay taxes to keep Pittsburgh open.

    • 3 years ago
  • futuregen
  • AxeRFJ
  • Wetdog
    • 0
      Wetdog  

    • It cann't hurt to try to be heard in governement---but most politicians have gone deaf from the fossil fuel and nuclear energy lobbyists shouting in their ears and sticking money in their pockets.

      I think the better strategy is to invest money in the companies that are producing and bringing to market the technologies that we need and want.

      Biofuels, solar and wind technology companies that will produce and market the products that will replace fossil fuels and all their attendant risks and damage are for the most part penny stocks right now. You can buy shares (usually in 1000 lots) for $100-$200 in most cases. Investing in renewable resource companies will bring them to market--and you will benefit directly from the success of saving the environment. PetroSun right now is making biodiesel from saltwater algae that replaces petroleum diesel gallon for gallon---if you invest in PetroSun, you not only help bring a product to market that will replace petroleum---you will replace the petroleum profits right into your own pocket. PetroSun stocks can be purchased from 1000 shares for $160($.16/share) and competes directly to take the market away from Exxon/Mobil the most profitable company ever. Why not take a chance on redirecting those profits into your own pocket and do something good for the environment at the same time? There's no law that says you cann't do something good for the environment and make a profit at the same time.

      This is also true for all other companies that produce and market products that provide clean, renewable and sustainable energy. THE most effective thing you can do is become an investor---getting a part time job to get some money together to invest would have a far greater effect than hours and hours shouting at deaf politicians. And you end up benefiting in the long run---as an investor, you have a say in the direction the companies take.

    • 3 years ago
  • gentjim
  • torybart
    • 0
      torybart  

    • I think this is great and an excellent start for us. My only question is what will this do to the desert ecosystem? I think it will almost inevitably decrease temperature and take away living space for inhabitants so...

    • 3 years ago
  • aspenlve
    • 0
      aspenlve  
    • torybart:

      Yes, good point. Although this bleak landscape seems inhospitable to most, there is definitely an ecosystem present and active. Here are some counterpoints from an untrained eye.

      1)The decrease of temperature. The ambient air temperature would be extremely had to alter. And as far as ground temperature goes most species do rely on both shade and sun in respective seasons(since most of the inhabitant's here are cold blooded they seek sun in the winter and shade in the summer). So how does the solar plant affect this? The plant's solar reflectors do not cover the ground entirely, more like 25/75(shade accounting for 25%). This actually can help in the summer when cool spots to hide are few and far between. And in the winter it still allows plenty of sun to reach ground level.

      2) Taking away living space. Most of the animals here are ground dwellers. The bulk of the plant it raised on stilts, minimizing the ground space affected. I'd assume it couldn't be more than a 5% loss of ground space.

      3) Water usage. This type of solar power produces steam that drives generators. Although I do not have any statistics on exact water usage, I do know that with the exception of wind power all forms of power generation use water(Hydro Electricity, Coal and Natural Gas, and Nuclear). I do know that the most modern steam generation facilities are very efficient against water usage. Thankfully it is located only 15 miles from Hoover Dam, a great source of water.

      In conclusion I believe that if we had to build solar power plants like this one, the choice of where to build to have the least impact on an ecosystem would be right here, where the current Nevada Solar One is located.

    • 3 years ago
  • metalcookiesxy70
  • uroborus8
    • 0
      uroborus8  

    • I was in Las Vegas in July and there were billboards all over the place bragging about Nevada's status as the number one solar producer in the country. It was heart warming... well it was that or the 125 degree heat that warmed the heart...

    • 3 years ago
  • karnathis
  • JanforGore
  • aspenlve
    • 0
      aspenlve  
    • Image

    • I live only 10 miles from Nevada solar One and am a resident of the City that owns the land in the Elderado Valley and leases it to Acciona. The Valley is huge and one day I hope to see it covered from mountain to mountain with Solar plants like this one. Not only do we have the space for this, but it is also located in an area that because of Hoover Dam has existing power distribution capabilities for the entire Southwest. Acciona has proved the legitimacy of solar power production in this area. Why is OUR goverment not pouring funds into this is beyond me. The time has come for us to DEMAND our goverment invest OUR tax money into this technology.

    • 3 years ago
  • Wetdog
    • 0
      Wetdog  
    • aspenlve:

      If YOU invest money in it, YOU will get the profits from it later.

      Renewable energy investment is the up to the people who want renewable energy to use.

      If YOU invest in solar power, then it will be there for you to use.

      If you sit back and wait for the government or someone else to invest in solar power----it will never happen.

    • 3 years ago
  • JanforGore
  • Ken1138
    • 0
      Ken1138  

    • I love how americans never, ever, ever do anything because it's the right thing to do...but because it becomes "cost effective", "cost competitive", "marketable".

      Eh, good news nonetheless...just need to lead the little pinhead capitalists by the hand...show them they can save the planet *and* have their lolli at the same time.

    • 3 years ago
  • JanforGore
  • jade_azul16
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  

    • I already did have to explain it to my friend. I made a sticker with that on it and stuck it on my purse... she thought it was another "solution."... ;-) But as you stated, I was happy to explain its real meaning.

    • 3 years ago
  • huntre
  • huntre
    • 0
      huntre  

    • "The solution comes up every morning."
      That's a bumper sticker I'd be proud to own and explain to anyone who asks.

    • 3 years ago
  • JanforGore
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