"Let there be light..."

[quester]

More on light in the desert....

 

[Genster]

Nice shots quester

 

[Orol]

It seems to be quite a dusty place the power station. How often and how are the solar panels cleaned?

Peter

 

[Marcus E.]

"Let there be light..." and seemingly there was!...A nice set quester. like the last one very much.

 

[Gab]

Quester, they are all very nice pictures, and the first two recall to my mind something alien, like a big starship that steal the energy from the earth so the martians can invade us! :shock:

 

[quester]

Thank you all very much! Yes, this sight is a bit surreal, but the tower looks a bit like a yellow tulip in the desert when seen from a distance. At least it was designed with this in mind. This was taken on a particularly dusty day, but yes, the mirrors need frequent cleaning - don't know exactly how many times, but certainly once a month.

 

[radical7]

The second one looks like the google You are here

 

[Athena]

Great pics! To what do the solar panels supply power? Do you have any info about this power plant (if that's what it is)? It looks interesting...

 

[quester]

To what do the solar panels supply power? Do you have any info about this power plant (if that's what it is)?

Hi Athena - this is indeed a solar power installation, but not based on generation of electricity by photovoltaic panels, rather by what is called "Concentrated Solar Power" (CSP or CST). This done by an array of mirrors ("heliostats") that track the sun and reflect its rays to a tower - the high concentrated heat in the tower is used to generate steam and power a turbine, that in turn generates electricity. The electricity produced is sold to the national grid.

This is a pilot project here, used by the company that runs it to test various improvements and changes in the model. There are a few similar towers in different places in the world, but it seems that costs of implementing alternative clean models of energy production still cannot compete with the hidden costs of conventional systems - so I suppose we will not be seeing very many of these put up in the near future. I haven't read about even one like this in Australia, for example. Spain seems to be leading the way - but who knows if their economy will continue to support this?

 

[Blow-in]

To what do the solar panels supply power? Do you have any info about this power plant (if that's what it is)?

Hi Athena - this is indeed a solar power installation, but not based on generation of electricity by photovoltaic panels, rather by what is called "Concentrated Solar Power" (CSP or CST). This done by an array of mirrors ("heliostats") that track the sun and reflect its rays to a tower - the high concentrated heat in the tower is used to generate steam and power a turbine, that in turn generates electricity. The electricity produced is sold to the national grid.

This is a pilot project here, used by the company that runs it to test various improvements and changes in the model. There are a few similar towers in different places in the world, but it seems that costs of implementing alternative clean models of energy production still cannot compete with the hidden costs of conventional systems - so I suppose we will not be seeing very many of these put up in the near future. I haven't read about even one like this in Australia, for example. Spain seems to be leading the way - but who knows if their economy will continue to support this?

That's a great explanation and it's good to see this sort of technology being tested. I've quite a few friends here working on wave energy generation and there is also a big move to try tidal generation (not the same thing) and we have quite a bit of wind generation on and off shore. We also have quite a bit of hydro generation in the Highlands, some dating back to the 1940s, with all sorts of clever schemes such as pumped storage. Solar at the moment is just domestic generation here. I know this is a site about photography but when photographs open our eyes (and minds) to new ideas it is a really powerful social tool.

Richard

 

[wok64]

Without the explanation I was tempted to think these are solar panels illuminated by a huge light bulb which itself is driven by the solar panels ... :lol:

 

[Athena]

Hi Athena - this is indeed a solar power installation, but not based on generation of electricity by photovoltaic panels, rather by what is called "Concentrated Solar Power" (CSP or CST). This done by an array of mirrors ("heliostats") that track the sun and reflect its rays to a tower - the high concentrated heat in the tower is used to generate steam and power a turbine, that in turn generates electricity. The electricity produced is sold to the national grid.

This is a pilot project here, used by the company that runs it to test various improvements and changes in the model. There are a few similar towers in different places in the world, but it seems that costs of implementing alternative clean models of energy production still cannot compete with the hidden costs of conventional systems - so I suppose we will not be seeing very many of these put up in the near future. I haven't read about even one like this in Australia, for example. Spain seems to be leading the way - but who knows if their economy will continue to support this?

Thank you very much for this information quester! I asked about it because I'm interested in finding out about clean energy options. I haven't seen anything like this here (as you pointed out), but maybe they're working on it, or are already testing such a system and we don't know about it yet. The latest move by the current government has been to introduce a carbon tax, which has been very controversial and not very popular. To help people on lower incomes afford the higher power rates that will occur as a result of the carbon tax, the government will (and has already started) paying 'Clean Energy Advance' rebates to these people. I would hope that with the money the government makes from the tax, that they would also be using it to fund clean energy power plants, like the one in your post. I would much prefer to see more of these types of solar power stations, than wind farms (I am against wind farms for several reasons).

I grew up in a household that relied entirely on solar power, generator pumps, batteries, and wood-fired stove (not that I'm suggesting people should use wood-fired stoves) so I know it can be done. Although, I imagine it would be quite costly to try to implement solar power supply on a large scale. For a while, people here were given rebates to buy solar panels for their homes, but as far as I know, that finishes soon (if it hasn't already). I really would love to see solar power used more widely throughout the world, along with other alternative energy producing sources (except wind farms, unless they can be placed in areas that do not directly affect people, the environment, and slow-flying, endangered birds). One can only hope...

 

[quester]

For a while, people here were given rebates to buy solar panels for their homes, but as far as I know, that finishes soon (if it hasn't already).

Yes, that seems to be the situation all over the world - subsidies were established, but now they are being reduced or cancelled....probably another outcome of the world recession, and of the fact that most developed countries are in severe debt.

 

[Blow-in]

Hi Athena - this is indeed a solar power installation, but not based on generation of electricity by photovoltaic panels, rather by what is called "Concentrated Solar Power" (CSP or CST). This done by an array of mirrors ("heliostats") that track the sun and reflect its rays to a tower - the high concentrated heat in the tower is used to generate steam and power a turbine, that in turn generates electricity. The electricity produced is sold to the national grid.

This is a pilot project here, used by the company that runs it to test various improvements and changes in the model. There are a few similar towers in different places in the world, but it seems that costs of implementing alternative clean models of energy production still cannot compete with the hidden costs of conventional systems - so I suppose we will not be seeing very many of these put up in the near future. I haven't read about even one like this in Australia, for example. Spain seems to be leading the way - but who knows if their economy will continue to support this?

Thank you very much for this information quester! I asked about it because I'm interested in finding out about clean energy options. I haven't seen anything like this here (as you pointed out), but maybe they're working on it, or are already testing such a system and we don't know about it yet. The latest move by the current government has been to introduce a carbon tax, which has been very controversial and not very popular. To help people on lower incomes afford the higher power rates that will occur as a result of the carbon tax, the government will (and has already started) paying 'Clean Energy Advance' rebates to these people. I would hope that with the money the government makes from the tax, that they would also be using it to fund clean energy power plants, like the one in your post. I would much prefer to see more of these types of solar power stations, than wind farms (I am against wind farms for several reasons).

I grew up in a household that relied entirely on solar power, generator pumps, batteries, and wood-fired stove (not that I'm suggesting people should use wood-fired stoves) so I know it can be done. Although, I imagine it would be quite costly to try to implement solar power supply on a large scale. For a while, people here were given rebates to buy solar panels for their homes, but as far as I know, that finishes soon (if it hasn't already). I really would love to see solar power used more widely throughout the world, along with other alternative energy producing sources (except wind farms, unless they can be placed in areas that do not directly affect people, the environment, and slow-flying, endangered birds). One can only hope...

We may be going a bit off topic (ie photography) but I'm with you Athena regarding wind farms. Solar can also be a bit of an issue this far from the Equator (57 degress 30 minutes North) - at this time of year we have 20 - 22 hours of daylight - we pay for it in the winter when it can be as little (or do I mean as few?) as 6 hours per day. The problem is we burn more energy in winter when it's hard to generate. Don't worry though about wood burning - it's carbon neutral and while we may be short of solar up here we good at growing trees - using an axe is also good exercise!


Richard

 

[quester]

We may be going a bit off topic (ie photography) but
Richard

Nothing is off topic as far as I'm concerned....

 

[Athena]

For a while, people here were given rebates to buy solar panels for their homes, but as far as I know, that finishes soon (if it hasn't already).

Yes, that seems to be the situation all over the world - subsidies were established, but now they are being reduced or cancelled....probably another outcome of the world recession, and of the fact that most developed countries are in severe debt.

What a shame the GFC seems to have claimed yet another victim . Here, we aren't feeling the pinch nearly as badly as most other developed countries, but we still have had our troubles...

I'm with you Athena regarding wind farms.

Solar can also be a bit of an issue this far from the Equator (57 degress 30 minutes North) - at this time of year we have 20 - 22 hours of daylight - we pay for it in the winter when it can be as little (or do I mean as few?) as 6 hours per day. The problem is we burn more energy in winter when it's hard to generate.

I hadn't really thought of that before . I do realise, however, that it wouldn't be possible to be able to rely on solar power as the only source of energy. Before we had solar panels in (or should I say, 'on') our house when I was growing up, we had a wood stove to heat water, keep us warm, bake food, etc. Later, when my parents managed to acquire one, then two or three small solar panels, we still needed the wood stove to heat the water when the sun had not showed up for successive days. We relied on it a lot during winter also, since there frequently wasn't enough sun to heat the water, and the house needed to be kept warm. Even then, if if the stove had not been fired up all day there would not be enough hot water, and so I had to endure many cold showers during the winter months. So whilst I would like to see more solar energy used around the world, I know it cannot be possible to rely on it totally. Now that you have informed me of what the seasons are like in your part of the world, I realise even more how unrealistic it would be to rely on solar. That doesn't mean, however, that solar cannot contribute significantly to the world's energy supplies. Coming up with the ideal solution is certainly challenging...

Don't worry though about wood burning - it's carbon neutral and while we may be short of solar up here we good at growing trees - using an axe is also good exercise!

I still have my reservations about wood fuel, but I fear I may start a whole new topic that should be in the "Open Talk" area if I carry on for too much longer... .

We may be going a bit off topic (ie photography) but
Richard

Nothing is off topic as far as I'm concerned....

Especially not when people's pictures ignite discussions... . Although, I fear I did get a little too carried away... :mrgreen: