The Solar Power Towers of Southern Spain

In the Aljarafe region of Spain, there's PS10 and PS20: concentrated solar power towers. They're huge towers surrounded by heliostats: movable mirrors that track the sun and reflect its light onto a giant boiler. They are beautiful, but they're also controversial: here's why.

(you can find contact details and social links there too)

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
California Energy Commission, (2015). Ivanpah Solar Electric
Generating System Avian & Bat Monitoring Plan 2013-2014 Annual Report (Revised). Nipton, CA: Solar Partners I, II, and VIII.

Fraunhofer Institut for Solar Energy Systems IS, (2013). Levelized Cost of Electricity Renewable Energy Technologies. Freiburg, Germany.

[jamiesmith]

You can actually see the concentrated light beams by the towers!

[TomScottGo]

I veer uncomfortably close to opinion here: yes, there are new concentrated solar power plants being constructed and announced, and there is still some research into them. Hopefully the references in the bibliography should back me up, though!

[iabervon]

"This is a great bit of technology on paper"
It's a great bit of technology in theory. On paper, it keeps settings the plans on fire.

[inkno]

Lando Solarissian: That was never a condition of our arrangement.

Darth Spanish Goverment: I have altered the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.

[TheBertjeT]

You should do a video on how you get around and visit all these places.

[AlucardNoir]

"bothering the teacher with the sunlight reflection of your phone"...damn I'm old, and I'm only 27, in my day we used to bother the teacher with the sunlight reflected from our watches and plastic rulers.

[Doc_Fartens]

Enough about the solar power, i want to see birds cooked in mid flight.

[biggsydaboss]

Immediate thumbs up for use of Vader quote.

[maffi]

Is there any way to beam the power from those up to an orbital death laser?

[digitalranger]

There are similar stations in the California desert, just past the Nevada border. It's quite a sight to see. During the day, it looks like three suns hovering above ground.

[DrawCuriosity]

Ha! I was wondering whether you'd make a video on these when you said you were headed to Spain :) I grew up in Seville, and whenever we drove to Huelva we would always drive past these - they are indeed very, very impressive, and very famous! :)

[Knight_Astolfo]

You got a great shot of them! I love how you can see the beams reflecting up to the towers.

[Formulka]

I just restored Helios One and this hits my sub box :) beautiful structures especially with all the mirrors aligned

[ZukaroTravon]

I think on the large scale these would probably be the better option. However, I am still glad about the solar panels we currently have as I like the idea of having my own power generation connected to my home, and not having to rely on the grid 100% of the time.

I'd like to see both get developed further though.

[megalofyia]

"Spain had altered the deal, and all they could do was pray they didn't alter it any further"

Nice Star Wars reference, Tom!

[alanreader]

Why dont they build a KFC next to it. Kill two birds with one stone then. Power the KFC while cheaply cooking the birds as they fly past. Now that sounds to me like a real bargin bucket.

[srcent]

I used to live in a village close to these solar towers, I remember that in 2007 we were gonna buy a solar panel because it was "the future", then the electrical company said "if you put a solar panel on your roof, you will need to pay us". Which makes no sense because they did not provide any infrastructure to the solar panel. They basically privatised the fcking SUN!
Then the 2008 crysis hit and people forgot about it, now you have two options if you want to put a solar panel on your house:
1. Land extra energy to the electrical company.
2. Pay a monthly cost which is basically a mafia asking money for you to have your business.

I was doing some research about the companies behind and ofc, there was so many big names and even arms company.

[recycledminds]

Seen this magnificent structures multiple times in the island nation of Altis...

[samuelnewport]

I love your videos because they are so short and informative without waffling on for 8-10 minutes

[thewoodiworld]

I saw one of these on my way to Las Vegas. I looked it up, it's called the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility. Great video as always!