Flash-Glare From an Airplane

May 30, 2014 - These photos were taken from the passenger window of a jet leaving the McCarran airport in Las vegas, Nevada, heading east over Lake Mead in May. The Ivanpah solar power towers can be seen in the far distance. Units 1 and 2 are showing solar flux on the towers, while to the right Unit 3 is flashing off an extremely bright glare from the mirror field surrounding the tower. This flash-glare was the brightest thing in the landscpae, far brighter than any observed in the city of Las Vegas.

^Las Vegas, Nevada.

Testing the Power Plant

June 2013 - BrightSource Energy and Bechtel were testing Unit 1 of the power tower array today, probably testing the aim of the heliostats (mirrors) onto the target at the top of the tower. The dark-coated receiver absorbs solar flux to superheat water in the pipes to steam. The steam is then sent down the tower to the power block where it turns a steam turbine as in conventional power plants.

^Top of the power tower with mirrors aimed at the receiver. Only a percentage of mirrors are aimed at the tower, a glow created by other mirrors focused on a standby position in the air next to the tower.

^Heliostats reflecting afternoon sunlight in a glaring array of mirrors.

^Tower receiver and standby position solar flux visible to the side.

^A puff of steam is visible coming out of the top of the tower during this test run.

^Glowing Unit 1 of ISEGS in Ivanpah Valley with Interstate 15 and the town of Primm visible on the right.

^The power plant glow as seen from Ivanpah Road in Mojave National Preserve. The other two power towers are still under construction.

 

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