L2- Sunshine State Flashcards
What is the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility?
It is the world’s largest solar- themrmal power plant project deployed in 2014. It deploys 347,000 mirrors towards boilers
How does it work?
Giant mirrors reflect sunlight towards 3 water towers, heating the water, generating steam, driving turbines, generating electricity
What are the advantages of the Ivanpah SEG
The installation reduces carbon emissions by 400,000tons per year
It generates $3billion economic growth
It is located in the Mojave Desert, which is a large open space which has uninterrupted sun exposure, so the source of energy is extremely reliable
Less need to import energy
Future proof
Allows industrial growth
What are the disadvantages to Ivanpah SEG
Need many cells to generate enough energy
Can’t store energy overnight
Threatens existence of desert tortoises and species of birds
Threat to coal and gas, so prices go up
Why can’t birds survive around these areas?
As the temperature is extremely high, so if they flew past, they would get burnt
How has the prices for crude oil and gasoline changed over the years?
In 2000, crude oil prices increased rapidly, whereas gasoline increased at a lower rate
In which area is there the most exposure to average daily solar radiation and why?
Around the equator, as it is closest to the sun, so there is minimal amounts of interference
Is this an example of small scale or large scale source of energy?
Large scale
What % of energy still comes from fossil fuels?
85%
Where is the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility located?
It is located 40 miles southwest of Las Vegas
What does SEG stand for
Solar Energy Generation
Which animals in particular do the mirrors affect?
Tortoises and birds
What temperature can some of the towers reach and what impact does it have on nature
1000 degrees Celsius, which can scorch birds flying over
What happened in Germany which left the country vulnerable and without any backup energy
Coal and gas stations were shut down, meaning energy prices have risen
What’s the main disadvantage of solar panels
It relies on sunlight, so if it is a cloudy or a dark day, minimal sunlight will be collected
