NEW RISKS FROM DESERT SOLAR FOUND: BURNED BIRDS, PLUS HAZARDS TO PILOTS, MOTORISTS & MILITARY

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this

By Miriam Raftery

June 27, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – With over 100 large-scale solar applications pending in the Mojave Desert and more planned in San Diego and Imperial counties, an article published in the Los Angeles Times raises some disturbing questions.

“At what temperature might a songbird vaporize?” the article asks.  “What happens if one of the Air Force’s heat-seeking missiles confuses a solar power plant with a military training target?”  

It then provides credible evidence that bird kills are likely and that a Pentagon official fears the missile scenario is a frightening possibility.   

The story also raises concerns that plumes of superheated air from solar tower projects could generate turbulence sufficient to flip a small plane and that glare from miles of solar mirrors could blind drivers. 

Ivanpah, the world’s largest solar plant, is under construction near the California-Nevada border. Over 170,000 mirrors will track the sun and bounce solar radiation to the tops of a trio of skyscraper-height towers that in turn will heat up to 1,000 degrees and produce steam.

BrightSource Energy, owner of Ivanpah, insists that the first-of-its-kind facility will be safe.   But others voice concerns.

A far smaller solar power tower has already been linked to bird deaths, studies led by ornithologists at the Solar One facility near Barstow have found.  That study documented 70 birds deaths, including 13 that “burned to death” as well as birds that collided with towers.  Read the study at http://www.scribd.com/doc/36138667/Solar-One-Avian-Mortality-Study

Test pilots at Edwards Air Force Base have reported hazards ranging from infrared issues to glare. The solar towers create additional issues, including plumes of superheated air that can be dangerous for small planes.

Most ominously, Major John G. Garza warns, “A heat-seeking missile could confuse the source and instead of going to a target on the range, it would go to the tower.”

For additional information, read the Los Angeles Times story at  http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-solar-heat-plume-20120621,0,917543.story

For more on Ivanpah, see: http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/ivanpah/index.html

 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

Comments

Fear Mongering

Miriam Quoted
" Most ominously, Major John G. Garza warns, “A heat-seeking missile could confuse the source and instead of going to a target on the range, it would go to the tower"

Wouldn't that solve your Problem???

Here is a quote for You Ms.Raferty

" Fear Monger: Fear mongering (or scaremongering or scare tactics) is the use of fear to influence the opinions and actions of others towards some specific end "

You are a "One Trick Pony" for sure.