Solar Plant Is Melting Bypassing Birds
The opening of the world's largest solar energy plant, located in Nevada, was a thrilling moment for many, but not for the birds that fly over it. The opening of the world's largest solar energy plant, located in Nevada, was a thrilling moment for many, but not for the birds that fly over it. At least 11 birds have died as a result of flying too close to the enormous sun catcher. Among them were a peregrine falcon, four nighthawks, and several warblers and sparrows. The facility generates power by reflecting sunlight off of 350 thousand garage-door sized mirrors and onto water-filled towers. When the water boils, the steam it produces powers turbines and before long, enough power to supply 140 thousand homes is generated. The fact that the immense amount of heat generated, which can rise as high as 1000 degrees Fahrenheit, is killing birds is not a surprise to those in charge. It's been reported that wildlife loss was a known factor from the early stages of planning and was considered acceptable due to the bigger benefit picture. At present, there are plans to build another solar plant near Joshua Tree. Biologists have alerted regulators to the fact that bird loss in that area would include several protected varieties.
Comments
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Use an audio deterrent. I'm sure they can come up with something considering their $2.6B budget :)
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I for one support this facilty simply because birds are super assholes and there is a dark humor part of my brain seeing a bird fly through it and then a roasted chicken coming out of it like a cartoon. But come on we made a death beam we should be proud of ourselves. Now on to make Prism tanks. XD
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" The feds saw what appeared to be a bird go up in flames every two
minutes, according to the report. The birds killed at Ivanpah include a
peregrine falcon, a red-shouldered hawk and an ash-throated
flycatcher. "
one bird lights on fire in flight and incinerates to the bone while alive there every 2 minutes. ROFLMAO
thank you libturds, you've created a very special HELL. -
They should be able to combine this technology with photo voltaic, there's another system developed in Australia which reflects light onto a central tower but in it's case the tower has a solar panel with a special heat sink to take the heat away, maybe the excess heat could also run a conventional turbine and double the output.
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5.5 square miles of mirrors to provide electricity to a city the size of Wichita KS- that is a lot of farm and grazing land being lost
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Solar will never be a viable option in my eyes until space elevators are easily made possible and we can float globes of solar cells in space away from atmospheric conditions. As it stands now, it simply takes up way too much space, and the sun is only out for less than 50% of the year, over half is night time to start, and there are days where it's cloudy, even in the deserts. But don't get me wrong, I fully support solar, and we should continue the research as it's definitely one of the major future methods, but as of now, it is not our best option.
Though, even when solar becomes the best option, there will be things that can go wrong. No matter the form of energy method, problems will come up. And there will be the groups of people who attack it because of said reasons. Doesn't matter what we do, we will always have those who want to halt progress for one reason or another.
This is how I see it however, attack it however you wish. -
Everyone is focusing on the birds and I'm here like "holy crap Helios One is real!!!"
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Assholes, not saving anything
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Anyone know how many birds die every year for Human consumption? So if a bird dies because of a power plant, were evil.. but if a bird dies because we want a snack.. that's okay. I am perfectly content letting birds get used to flying around these plants, (which they will) if it means no more radioactive waste barrels being burried ... or oil spills, or cancer from coal.. if you are looking for a perfect solution.. you're an idiot.
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Nothing is perfect, but this is probably better than other energy sources in terms of environmental impact. I mean, just look at this, which i copied from wikipida under Roadkill:
"The number of animals killed in the United States is estimated at a million per day.[16][17]
About 350,000 to 27 million birds are estimated to be killed on European roads each year.[18]"
Nothing is perfect. -
It's like a KFC out there!!!!!!
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What do you sick pricks have against birds. If this was a carbon based facility killing birds EVERY SINGLE MINUTE, you nimrods would be chaining yourself to the gate...
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Try bird gard
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One bird is fried every 2 minutes!!!!
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So not only is the desert hot for birds - but now they are going to be cooked by these arrays.
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Yet another great for the environment project.
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I want the owners of this power plant to have a massive chicken dinner fund raiser for wild life conservation. Naturally the chicken will be cooked by the sun.
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28,000 birds killed since it has opened is an 'acceptable loss'. Well done, Greens and hippies for supporting solar energy.
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Not melting.
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Its killing 2 birds a minute now.
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