Re: 11 years after a celebrated opening, massive solar plant faces a bleak future in the Mojave Desert
Jean Nipton Wrote:
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> There's a big one near Tonopah. Is it still
> working?
>
> [
maps.app.goo.gl]
Wikipedia sez, yes. But it's not always up to date. That Wiki article provides a lot of data about solar thermal worldwide - it's actually not uncommon, and there are several technologies. A lot of them have been cancelled, though. The rapid drop in cost for PV solar and utility-scale batteries has a hand in that.
Also, I was wrong about Ivanpah using thermal storage; it generates power overnight using natural gas. The Tonopah plant apparently does (did? It was shut down for several years) use thermal storage, and the stresses caused by thermal cycling were a source of problems.