World's largest solar installation to use Stirling engine

[natterjack]

20-year purchase agreement between Southern California Edison and Stirling Energy Systems, Inc. will result in 20,000+ dish array, covering 4,500 acres, and capable of generating 500 MW -- more electricity than all other U.S. solar projects combined:

http://pesn.com/2005/08/11/9600147_E...largest_solar/

[seven]

I've always thought a huge solar farm in the middle of the desert would be a great idea because there must be so much solar energy available there.

I have a question. Lets say that large parts of the desert were used for solar panel farms. Would that affect the desert environment and wildlife at all? I would guess that alot of sunlight that would hit the desert would instead hit the solar panels.

Would it matter at all?

[bruce]

Originally Posted by emz

I have a question. Lets say that large parts of the desert were used for solar panel farms. Would that affect the desert environment and wildlife at all? I would guess that alot of sunlight that would hit the desert would instead hit the solar panels.

Would it matter at all?

I can't really see that this would affect the desert wildlife a great deal as the farm will be relatively small in relation to the whole desert.

[bruce]

I do have a question though. I believe that energy that has to be transported loses alot of its power. I'm guessing that these panels are along way from civilisation so wouldn't they be quite inefficient by the time they actually reach homes?

[Elroch]

In the case of this project, there are very large centres of population close to the area near the edge of the Mohave desert where the solar power plant is located. The transmission losses have been calculated to be rather low.