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The Tortoise and the Solar Plant | National Geographic


unlike photovoltaics that converts

unlike photovoltaics that converts sunlight to direct current to produce

sunlight to direct current to produce

sunlight to direct current to produce electricity we actually use the sun’s

electricity we actually use the sun’s

electricity we actually use the sun’s energy to focus sunlight onto a boiler

energy to focus sunlight onto a boiler

energy to focus sunlight onto a boiler to create high-temperature high-pressure

to create high-temperature high-pressure

to create high-temperature high-pressure steam which is then used to turn a

steam which is then used to turn a

steam which is then used to turn a turbine to generate electricity what I’m

turbine to generate electricity what I’m

turbine to generate electricity what I’m standing underneath is a heliostat thing

standing underneath is a heliostat thing

standing underneath is a heliostat thing the holds two mirrors and those mirrors

the holds two mirrors and those mirrors

the holds two mirrors and those mirrors are used to reflect sunlight onto the

are used to reflect sunlight onto the

are used to reflect sunlight onto the boiler that you see right behind me

boiler that you see right behind me

boiler that you see right behind me what you’re looking at here totaling 392

what you’re looking at here totaling 392

what you’re looking at here totaling 392 megawatts gropes output is the

megawatts gropes output is the

megawatts gropes output is the equivalent of a medium-sized natural gas

equivalent of a medium-sized natural gas

equivalent of a medium-sized natural gas plant we’ve eliminated the fossil fuel

plant we’ve eliminated the fossil fuel

plant we’ve eliminated the fossil fuel and we’re using the sun’s energy to boil

and we’re using the sun’s energy to boil

and we’re using the sun’s energy to boil the water to make the steam it’s a

the water to make the steam it’s a

the water to make the steam it’s a trade-off you don’t have the nuclear

trade-off you don’t have the nuclear

trade-off you don’t have the nuclear waste lasting for tens of thousands of

waste lasting for tens of thousands of

waste lasting for tens of thousands of years and you don’t have the co2

years and you don’t have the co2

years and you don’t have the co2 emissions from coal or gas fired plants

emissions from coal or gas fired plants

emissions from coal or gas fired plants but you take up a lot of space displace

but you take up a lot of space displace

but you take up a lot of space displace a lot of plants and wildlife there’s

a lot of plants and wildlife there’s

a lot of plants and wildlife there’s thousands and thousands of square miles

thousands and thousands of square miles

thousands and thousands of square miles out here that had been crawling with

out here that had been crawling with

out here that had been crawling with tortoises back in the 40s and 50s that

tortoises back in the 40s and 50s that

tortoises back in the 40s and 50s that no longer have tortoises and to find a

no longer have tortoises and to find a

no longer have tortoises and to find a place that still has that abundance of

place that still has that abundance of

place that still has that abundance of tortoises on it and to develop it was

tortoises on it and to develop it was

tortoises on it and to develop it was probably the real shame of it the

probably the real shame of it the

probably the real shame of it the problem is now that we’ve got this shift

problem is now that we’ve got this shift

problem is now that we’ve got this shift where we’re taking five square miles of

where we’re taking five square miles of

where we’re taking five square miles of public lands and putting mirrors on it

public lands and putting mirrors on it

public lands and putting mirrors on it and it’ll never come back you’re always

and it’ll never come back you’re always

and it’ll never come back you’re always talking about trade-offs so the question

talking about trade-offs so the question

talking about trade-offs so the question is can you develop a project and still

is can you develop a project and still

is can you develop a project and still be environmentally responsible and do it

be environmentally responsible and do it

be environmentally responsible and do it in a way that actually enhances the

in a way that actually enhances the

in a way that actually enhances the environment we found when we came on

environment we found when we came on

environment we found when we came on site within the boundaries roughly a

site within the boundaries roughly a

site within the boundaries roughly a hundred and seventy-three tortoises

hundred and seventy-three tortoises

hundred and seventy-three tortoises those tortoises were moved into our

those tortoises were moved into our

those tortoises were moved into our nursery where they are protected and

nursery where they are protected and

nursery where they are protected and kept and what we found now is after this

kept and what we found now is after this

kept and what we found now is after this time there is no statistically

time there is no statistically

time there is no statistically significant difference in the survival

significant difference in the survival

significant difference in the survival or mortality of those tortoises that

or mortality of those tortoises that

or mortality of those tortoises that have been moved the ones you rescued are

have been moved the ones you rescued are

have been moved the ones you rescued are moved out to the side and they’re there

moved out to the side and they’re there

moved out to the side and they’re there now living with the resident tortoises

now living with the resident tortoises

now living with the resident tortoises another thing they try and go back

another thing they try and go back

another thing they try and go back and and they’re found walking along the

and and they’re found walking along the

and and they’re found walking along the fence I think the one ray of hope that I

fence I think the one ray of hope that I

fence I think the one ray of hope that I see is that like out the desert tortoise

see is that like out the desert tortoise

see is that like out the desert tortoise Natural Area they’ve completely fenced

Natural Area they’ve completely fenced

Natural Area they’ve completely fenced that 40-plus square miles now and it’s

that 40-plus square miles now and it’s

that 40-plus square miles now and it’s the only place I’m aware of where where

the only place I’m aware of where where

the only place I’m aware of where where tortoises are reproducing when you’re

tortoises are reproducing when you’re

tortoises are reproducing when you’re talking about fossil fuels you have to

talking about fossil fuels you have to

talking about fossil fuels you have to factor in the land used for exploration

factor in the land used for exploration

factor in the land used for exploration extraction processing and then

extraction processing and then

extraction processing and then transportation here we have a project

transportation here we have a project

transportation here we have a project that actually collects the energy and

that actually collects the energy and

that actually collects the energy and then converts it to electricity all

then converts it to electricity all

then converts it to electricity all within a single location people

within a single location people

within a single location people sometimes forget that’s exactly a very

sometimes forget that’s exactly a very

sometimes forget that’s exactly a very efficient utilization of a sustainable

efficient utilization of a sustainable

efficient utilization of a sustainable energy resource so a project of this

energy resource so a project of this

energy resource so a project of this size will avoid nearly 400,000 metric

size will avoid nearly 400,000 metric

size will avoid nearly 400,000 metric tons of carbon each year that otherwise

tons of carbon each year that otherwise

tons of carbon each year that otherwise would have been emitted

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