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BrightSource solar plant sets birds on fire as they fly overhead ($2.2B plant heats 100,000 homes)
CBC Canada ^ | Aug 18, 2014 | AP

Posted on 08/18/2014 9:08:45 PM PDT by Innovative

Death estimates range from 1,000 to 28,000 per year

The $2.2 billion plant, which launched in February, is at Ivanpah Dry Lake near the California-Nevada border.

Unlike many other solar plants, the Ivanpah plant does not generate energy using photovoltaic solar panels. Instead, it has more than 300,000 mirrors, each the size of a garage door. Together, they cover 1,416 hectares.

Each mirror collects and reflects solar rays, focusing and concentrating solar energy from their entire surfaces upward onto three boiler towers, each looming up to 40 stories high. The solar energy heats the water inside the towers to produce steam, which turns turbines that generate enough electricity for 140,000 homes.

(Excerpt) Read more at cbc.ca ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: birds; brightsource; energy; solar; solarenergy
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There were several articles posted about this general topic -- but I am posting this one, because it actually had numbers of birds killed, as well as the cost of $2B, taking up 1,416 hectares, which might be better utilized, all to heat a rather small number of 140,000 homes. That's $14,000 per home.
1 posted on 08/18/2014 9:08:45 PM PDT by Innovative
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To: Innovative

The bird community has rankled feathers about this.

Their members say the birds were actually flying away then they were zapped.

The solar officers say, that isn’t true.

The solar officer say the birds had turned and were rushing the solar collector when it zapped them in self defense.

Birds everywhere are chirping mad.

Protests have been called, but with a curfew of from dusk to dawn, the only time they can protest is during daylight hours. The birds have chosen to protest anyway, and the solar collector better be on notice.

The governor has stated that the solar collector has over-reacted, so the state energy commission reps are being called in to provide unbiased security.

If this doesn’t work, the national hawks and eagles will be called in. Normal birds generally don’t like that idea.

It remains to be seen if the militarization will indeed escalate over coming days.

Birds say they’re going to protest tomorrow. We’ll see if any streamers dematerialize.


2 posted on 08/18/2014 9:11:11 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (We'll know when he's really hit bottom. They'll start referring to him as White.)
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To: DoughtyOne

They are plotting their revenge.

3 posted on 08/18/2014 9:12:09 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator

Where’d you get that, CNN?

Good one. LOL

“De Boids”


4 posted on 08/18/2014 9:14:22 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (We'll know when he's really hit bottom. They'll start referring to him as White.)
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To: DoughtyOne

Of course, having a pipeline is not environmentally friendly enough, to be approved, but frying birds by the thousands is just fine.


5 posted on 08/18/2014 9:16:14 PM PDT by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
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To: Innovative

I’m not in favor of frying the birds, but there has to be a way to warn them off.

Some high pitched frequency will be found to scare them away.

If nothing else, some high intensity lamps pointing out could blind them so they would have to go around.


6 posted on 08/18/2014 9:18:31 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (We'll know when he's really hit bottom. They'll start referring to him as White.)
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To: DoughtyOne

I personally vote for oil rigs and pipelines, as well as fracking — more effective and much less impact on the environment.

This is another example of “the road to h*ll is paved with good intentions”


7 posted on 08/18/2014 9:20:43 PM PDT by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
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To: DoughtyOne
create a problem to deal with the created problem ...

Yup ... socialist democrats

8 posted on 08/18/2014 9:26:07 PM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true .. I have no proof .. but they're true.)
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To: Innovative

$2.2 Billion divided by 140,000 homes = $15,714 per home.

$15,714 at 5% cost of funds and/or opportunity cost = $786 per year for interest or opportunity...$65.50 per month.

To pay back $15,714 in 30 years is $84.36 per month if no one makes a profit or has any expenses such as employees or maintenance.

Realistically, break-even would be lucky to be $100/month per home.

Now, if you can bill homes $200/month for their power usage, then you are golden!


9 posted on 08/18/2014 9:27:36 PM PDT by Southack (The one thing preppers need from the 1st World? http://tinyurl.com/ktfwljc .)
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To: Innovative

If nothing can be done to protect the birds, you’re probably right.

My only other consideration would be if these plants are actually profitable.

If they can power 100,000 homes with this, I’m okay with it.

I don’t think the oil pipeline concerns are valid either. Obama just sees it as anti U. S. economy.


10 posted on 08/18/2014 9:30:32 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (We'll know when he's really hit bottom. They'll start referring to him as White.)
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To: Innovative

“Death estimates range from 1,000 to 28,000 per year”

Wow! that is way more than I thought. Time to shut this thing down and go back to nuclear power.


11 posted on 08/18/2014 9:30:39 PM PDT by Parley Baer
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To: Innovative

For that amount of money, you probably could have built a 3000 MW coal fired powerplant that took up about 500 acres and provided electricity for an average size city. You could have saved the birds too.


12 posted on 08/18/2014 9:31:43 PM PDT by wjcsux ("In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." - George Orwell)
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To: Southack

Don’t forget the need for new infrastructure before the end of 30 years. Parts and equipment will need to be replaced. I’d be surprised if you didn’t have significant need for replacements in five years.


13 posted on 08/18/2014 9:35:53 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (We'll know when he's really hit bottom. They'll start referring to him as White.)
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To: Innovative

I drove by this facility a couple of years ago. It is a mega monument to arrogance and stupidity.


14 posted on 08/18/2014 9:35:57 PM PDT by wjcsux ("In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." - George Orwell)
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To: Innovative

How do you operate it at night?


15 posted on 08/18/2014 9:36:49 PM PDT by wjcsux ("In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." - George Orwell)
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To: Innovative

At some point we’re going to have to go another direction with regard to oil. I don’t mind experimentation. (reasoned)


16 posted on 08/18/2014 9:37:26 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (We'll know when he's really hit bottom. They'll start referring to him as White.)
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To: knarf

LOL, you don’t think there are problems with oil production and corrections along the way?


17 posted on 08/18/2014 9:38:41 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (We'll know when he's really hit bottom. They'll start referring to him as White.)
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To: Southack

No doubt property requirements affect the cost of growth. And besides maintenance, there might be limits to the useful life of the components short of 30 years.


18 posted on 08/18/2014 9:41:34 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: wjcsux

That’s when Chinese astronauts plan to land on the Sun.
They won’t stay long because it’s still pretty hot.


19 posted on 08/18/2014 9:42:32 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: Parley Baer

“Time to shut this thing down and go back to nuclear power.”

Exactly! The cleanest, most efficient energy.


20 posted on 08/18/2014 9:45:38 PM PDT by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
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