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Post by Propel Steps on Mar 2, 2014 0:05:21 GMT 5.5
Bye-bye birdies. The world’s largest solar power plant that recently opened in the Mojave Desert has a gruesome effect: birds are getting fried to death when they fly near its towers.
The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System officially opened last week, a $2.2 billion solar farm containing about 350,000 mirrors, each the size of a garage door. Those mirrors are aimed at three 40-story-tall towers. The concentrated sunlight boils water in the towers, which in turn generates steam that drives special turbines.
For birds, the towers are more like the Eye of Sauron. During test runs at the plant over the past several months, workers discovered dozens of dead birds, the Wall Street Journal’s Cassandra Sweet reported. “The dead birds included a peregrine falcon, a grebe, two hawks, four nighthawks and a variety of warblers and sparrows.” They appeared to have been scorched.
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Post by John Shavers on Mar 19, 2024 9:42:39 GMT 5.5
Solar power plants offer numerous environmental benefits, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing air and water pollution, and conserving water resources compared to traditional fossil fuel-based power plants. Additionally, solar energy is renewable and abundant, contributing to long-term sustainability efforts and reducing dependence on finite fossil fuels. However, the construction and operation of solar power plants can also have environmental impacts, including land use and habitat disruption, potential water usage for cleaning solar panels, and the manufacturing process of solar panels generating some pollution. Furthermore, large-scale solar installations may require significant land area, leading to conflicts with land use for agriculture or conservation. Despite these challenges, with proper planning and sustainable practices, solar power plants remain a vital component of transitioning towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy future. electrical safety course Queensland
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