Posted on 07/01/2023 7:50:13 AM PDT by rktman
Located just about halfway between Los Angeles and Phoenix, Desert Center, California, was once bustling with business.
In the ’20s, the local Desert Center Cafe was open 24-7 with customers filtering in and out as they made their way back and forth between the two iconic cities. According to The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, the cafe’s motto was “We lost our keys, we can’t close!”
Today, the Desert Center Cafe — along with the rest of the buildings on the dingy Desert Center main street — is abandoned and dilapidated.
Other than the small ghost town at its center, what’s left of Desert Center is the handful of small communities surrounding it.
Even absent the historic downtown, area locals had much to be thankful for. The landscape, for example, is beautiful. You can stare out at the endless desert, examine the lush palo verde and aged ironwood trees or even spot local treasures, such as the rare species of desert tortoises and sacred indigenous sites.
Thanks to the construction of massive solar farms, all of the above are under threat, along with one more resource locals likely treasure above almost all else: the water supply.
No More Water John Beach owns a bit of land in the middle of the desolate Desert Center. At first, it’s unlikely Beach thought the area’s local solar project — a product of the Obama administration’s push to scale solar energy development on public lands — would have much of an effect on his property.
Beach’s land doesn’t even have a home on it, only two palm trees, both of which he has been watering for 15 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at westernjournal.com ...
Since it is a federal supported project the states and cities have no say over the water usage and to obey they law on air pollution they cause a far bigger problem that isn't regulated.
Thanks.
Different browser I guess. I only use “Brave” as my browser.
https://solaractionalliance.org/what-is-the-impact-of-solar-power-on-water/
“The Solar Energy Development Programmatic IES points out several important areas of concern when it comes to these plants:
*The biggest single issue with the plants themselves appears to be the use of significant amounts of water for cooling purposes. Solar plants are often constructed in arid areas and place great strains on what are already limited local or regional water resources. Some “wet cooling” plants use more water per unit of electricity produced than a conventional fossil fuel plant!
*There is the risk of contamination and pollution of ground and surface water sources from spills and airborne chemicals such as dust suppressants. Fairly large amounts of water are also needed to keep receivers, concentrators (mirrors, panels, etc.) clean.”
How’s about when an article is posted it is noted as a member article so we don’t burn time going over to the source only to find we have to join to finish reading? I’m an old fart, don’t want to have to fill out a form for every two-bit website to finish a read. Argh... :)
Are they unintended consequences...?
Deep State might not think so.
I’ll be honest I didn’t read that article, but have some basic knowledge of solar.
I have never heard of it using water
See, they keep that part secret. 🤔😂👍
As previous, different browser=different results. I’m an old fart as well so.......😁👍
Here is an article from a couple years ago regarding water being used to reduce dust.
“Buried within this story is how much water was used in May and June to keep the “ground wet” and from the looks of the fines, twenty million gallons of water is simply not enough to meet the environmental regulation standards for dust mitigation.
“During a July hearing with county regulators, Amy Sue Ambrose, environmental director for Rosendin, said the company was making its best effort to control dust on a challenging site, including spraying more than 20 million gallons of water at the site between early May and the end of June. (emphasis added)
In a statement, the company said it has taken steps to control dust on the site.”
Deserts are always dusty, dusting is not just a one-time thing. The panels lose efficiency the dustier they get. They also lose efficiency the hotter they get above 77 degrees, which is why some solar farms are on water, to use the water to cool the panels to the most efficient temp, whatever that may be for the installation. They significantly raise the temperature of the land over which they are installed, and the air in and above the installation, increasing evaporation of water from the soil and area over the long haul, which is going to have Kong term effects on the area’s vegetation and wildlife. Then the panels are also going to need replacing as they have a short life span, each time creating more dust that needs washed away.
Thanks.
Desert Center has been dying for a long time (basically since the prison went away in 2003). And the dried up water has nothing to do with solar projects and everything to do with... well being in the Center of the Desert.
Here’s what Desert Center looked like earlier this week. It starts at 14:30 mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APKjBnvh0ao
If you’re not familiar with this area, there is a RV park nearby and the abandoned town of Eagle Mountain further up the road.
I usually stop at nearby Chiarco Summit. A conservative Republican Hispanic family runs the businesses there.
The guy is incapable of learning anything.
Do you remember what the name of the video was? LOL!
These are intended consequences. Our overlords want us hurting.
I think the water part is the secret brewery they hide under the solar panels!
Indeed anything in Palm Springs or around it is a worthless hot hell hole visited some of my family there ONCE.
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