But I have to correct you on your characterization of the Ivanpah Valley, which seems to come from BrightSource’s own brochures. Ivanpah is not a thoroughly trampled site. It provides good quality habitat for the endangered desert tortoise and a host of rare plants. This mostly undisturbed land also can absorb as much carbon as some temperate forests.

Truly abused land such as abandoned farm land around Daggett would be much better sites for this project, plus BrightSource would be able to build on that land much more quickly.

As for the cooling, BrightSource will use dry cooling or air cooling (at least at its Ivanpah site), which is one reason its water use is low, but still a significant impact to the desert environment —

32 million gallons of groundwater per year.

That’s what the CPUC has approved 8 – 1 instead of solar – more gas plants – eg this typical one for 600 MW in Vacaville: http://www.energy.ca.gov/maps/01_RONLN_APRVD_CUR_PNP.PDF solar is a miniscule water user compared with gas, coal or nuclear]

Solar Millenium just stated that their projects will be dry cooled.

A much more accurate portrait of the Ivanpah project:

http://bit.ly/2rBJUx

And some photos and other info on the Ivanpah project site:

http://www.basinandrangewatch.org/IvanpahValley.html

But I have to correct you on your characterization of the Ivanpah Valley, which seems to come from BrightSource’s own brochures. Ivanpah is not a thoroughly trampled site. It provides good quality habitat for the endangered desert tortoise and a host of rare plants. This mostly undisturbed land also can absorb as much carbon as some temperate forests.

Truly abused land such as abandoned farm land around Daggett would be much better sites for this project, plus BrightSource would be able to build on that land much more quickly.

As for the cooling, BrightSource will use dry cooling or air cooling (at least at its Ivanpah site), which is one reason its water use is low, but still a significant impact to the desert environment —

32 million gallons of groundwater per year.

That’s what the CPUC has approved 8 – 1 instead of solar – more gas plants – eg this typical one for 600 MW in Vacaville: http://www.energy.ca.gov/maps/01_RONLN_APRVD_CUR_PNP.PDF solar is a miniscule water user compared with gas, coal or nuclear]

Solar Millenium just stated that their projects will be dry cooled.

A much more accurate portrait of the Ivanpah project:

http://bit.ly/2rBJUx

And some photos and other info on the Ivanpah project site:

http://www.basinandrangewatch.org/IvanpahValley.html

I have yet to read where one of these proposals calls for using anything but standard cooling towers that require 2.5 to 3.0 liters of makeup water per kWh.

Air cooling, modified air cooling and Heller cooling towers all are proven technology and greatly reduce water requirements but are more capital intensive which means the project builders are not very interested in them.

I have yet to read where one of these proposals calls for using anything but standard cooling towers that require 2.5 to 3.0 liters of makeup water per kWh.

Air cooling, modified air cooling and Heller cooling towers all are proven technology and greatly reduce water requirements but are more capital intensive which means the project builders are not very interested in them.