| Many of you may have heard about the Mojave | | | | non renewable sources of energy such as solar |
| Desert. It is located in the United States and occupies | | | | energy to serve as an example. |
| borders of many states including California, Utah, | | | | It is tough to calculate the exact costs and benefits |
| Nevada and Arizona. It is famously known for most | | | | that one can get from setting up such solar power |
| people in the solar energy industry because it is the | | | | plants in comparison with other renewable sources of |
| world's largest solar power installation and solar power | | | | energy and in comparison with "fossil fuels". This is |
| plant. I just thought I would write an article about it since | | | | because governments also spend a lot of money to |
| we have been talking a lot about setting up solar | | | | control pollution that is caused by the use of fossil fuels |
| panels in your houses. | | | | that is normally not take into account. This money that |
| It is known to have the capacity to generate more | | | | the government spends comes from you, the |
| than 392 megawatts of electricity which collectively | | | | taxpayer. So, indirectly, you are also spending a lot of |
| powers as many as 500,000 people's energy needs. | | | | money on these renewable sources of energy that |
| This is one of the perfect examples about the positive | | | | you use when you are driving your car, etc. That |
| uses of renewable energy sources rather than fossil | | | | makes solar energy advantages even more abundant |
| fuels which would equivalently also produce carbon di | | | | especially with places like "Mojave Desert" generating |
| oxide and contribute to pollution, global warming etc. | | | | so much electricity. |
| The Mojave Desert makes use of SEGS (Solar | | | | Solar power towers are what one would use in case |
| Energy Generation Systems) to incorporate the | | | | of solar one and solar two. I had already mentioned |
| transformation of solar energy into electrical energy or | | | | about the United States Energy Department planning |
| for whatever purpose it is ultimately used for. But it is | | | | to set up a solar power facility in Nevada which is also |
| indeed a huge boost for those of you planning to get | | | | called as "Nevada Solar One". This Solar One and |
| solar powered panels in your homes. There are | | | | Solar two are the ones that make use of solar power |
| currently nine solar power plants in the Mojave Desert. | | | | towers which use heliostats to reflect the sun's rays |
| The United States Energy Department plans to | | | | onto the panel which then use that to generate |
| introduce 3 more installations in the desert among | | | | electricity. The Solar Two is characteristically different |
| which the popular Nevada Solar One is an option. The | | | | from the others in that it uses molten salt instead of |
| reason for which the Mojave Desert is considered to | | | | water which is typically used to generate electricity. |
| be such an important location for solar energy | | | | The molten salt reaches very high temperatures and |
| enthusiasts is because of its location. It is located at an | | | | because of the chemical nature of molten salt can be |
| ideal location to receive an optimum amount of solar | | | | used to generate electricity even during the night and |
| energy and receives almost twice the "insonation" | | | | even during cloudy or rainy days. This is indeed great |
| (solar radiation) that most other parts of the country | | | | about the Mojave Desert. |
| receive. Thus, the desert serves as an ideal place for | | | | |