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Energy+jobs+energy independence, a winning formula; 500 MW solar project--Hidden Hills
Topic Started: Feb 23 2013, 12:59 AM (589 Views)
Pat
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I keep abreast of happenings in southern Nevada, we visit relatives often and have considered building another place down there. I've brought it up before, but you need to dig into the volume of energy projects like this one going on on, what has in the past been considered a wasteland, a place to get through by the skin of your teeth if traveling by land. A hop from one oasis to another. Above the endless miles of open stretches and mountains is the bright sun overhead. Probably the largest energy resource we have. When investors come together and bank on what is truly pioneering technology and industry, one thing is for sure, they do their homework and see a cash cow in need of milking. This is not a solar panel project but another form of energy production that deals with mirrors and a central tower. I have no idea how the contraption works, but the physics must be sound. As these projects sprout from the region, so do thousands of construction jobs plus 100's of permanent site jobs at each site. The owners can't offshore these jobs. I caught this article in the PVT internet site and thought I would pass it on.






Meetings on Hidden Hills solar plant coming up

Posted on22 February 2013.

Residents will have the opportunity to attend two different events for the Hidden Hills solar project, a 500-megawatt plant planned on 3,200 acres on the Tecopa Road just across the California state line.

The California Energy Commission will hold a prehearing conference on their final staff assessment of the Hidden Hills project at noon Tuesday at the Tecopa Community Center. That will assess the readiness of parties for the evidentiary hearings. The committee will review the project, identify areas of agreement or dispute and discuss the schedule and procedures needed to conclude the certification process.

The Kern River Gas Transmission Company has scheduled an open house from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Bob Ruud Community Center in Pahrump on their plans to construct a 33-mile, 12-inch diameter, natural gas pipeline from their main line near Goodsprings to the BrightSource Energy project. The pipeline would provide a consistent supply of natural gas for the power plants when the sun isn’t shining.

The solar project, on 3,277 acres of private land known as the Hidden Hills Ranch, would include 85,000 heliostats, which resemble large mirrors, focusing solar energy on a 750-foot power tower near the center of each of two solar fields.

BrightSource Energy, the company that is building the Ivanpah solar project just across the California state line from Primm, Nev. off Interstate 15, is the company that wants to build this project.

The capital cost for the project is estimated at $2.2 billion. If approved, construction would start the second quarter of this year and be completed by the end of 2015. An average of 1,087 workers will be employed during construction with a peak of 2,293 workers in the 19th month. After completion 100 workers will be needed to operate the plant.

Evidentiary hearings have been scheduled by the CEC from March 12 to March 15 at the Death Valley Academy Gymnasium in Shoshone, Calif. The hearings are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. each day.
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Brewster
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Pat, the basics of the Concentrated Solar Power project are that the mirrors focus the sunlight on the central tower, which then heats water in the tower.

That hot water/steam then powers a turbine which turns a generator, producing power. The main virtue of the system is that in the future excess hot water can be stored underground, which can be used to allow the turbines to generate power all night. In the long run, the natural gas can be shut off, or used only in exceptional circumstances.

The disadvantage is the system requires a lot of land, not a problem in Nevada, but it would be in many other places.

I don't think this is a good long-term solution, as Solar Panels and Wind Turbines are getting dirt cheap and can be used anywhere. When battery technology becomes equally cheap and effective (5-10 years), I suspect that will be the end for CSP.
Edited by Brewster, Feb 23 2013, 01:22 AM.
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Brewster
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How Cheap are Solar Panels?

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Brewster
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How Cheap are Batteries?

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Brewster
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Got a little sidetracked - Sorry, Pat.

Your basic point is correct, I'm just saying that the jobs will come from small installations, not CSP.
Edited by Brewster, Feb 23 2013, 01:45 AM.
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There is a poster on the Congress forum who I am certain is an oil company executive. He is always putting down any sort of green energy, complaining about subsidies (ignoring the fact the oil industry enjoys massive ones). Its pretty hard to argue with clean energy, even though the tech is new & imperfect.

I was impressed with Spain. Acres of panels on unusable land and they get less sun than the SW US. Also they are reaping profits on wind

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Brewster
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Yup, Spain has the most CSP...

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Edited by Brewster, Feb 23 2013, 01:51 AM.
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Neutral
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I think the Indians around Yuma are doing something like this because Obie is shutting down coal plants. Guess who is funding it?
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Pat
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telcoman
Feb 23 2013, 01:45 AM
There is a poster on the Congress forum who I am certain is an oil company executive. He is always putting down any sort of green energy, complaining about subsidies (ignoring the fact the oil industry enjoys massive ones). Its pretty hard to argue with clean energy, even though the tech is new & imperfect.

I was impressed with Spain. Acres of panels on unusable land and they get less sun than the SW US. Also they are reaping profits on wind

Link

Yep, acres and acres and acres of open stretches of land. Brew is right, the smaller home/business projects are where the future job growth is coming from. In Nevada, 3,000 acres is a drop in the ocean of expanse. Drive from Boise to Las Vegas sometime. The key is transmission, which in the case of the home consumer is from the roof top or backyard. I can see an entire industry built up around keeping panels clean from bird crap. :smile:

An article from Orcas island (in the Puget Sound) showed a home powered by solar panels and new energy efficient construction. I doubt there is a place with less direct sun than that island. The key is light, if you have light you have the physics.
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Pat
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Neutral
Feb 23 2013, 01:54 AM
I think the Indians around Yuma are doing something like this because Obie is shutting down coal plants. Guess who is funding it?
Probably casino gamblers. :smile:
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