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Solar energy comes in a couple of different forms. Most people are familiar with solar panels, they are becoming more and more commonplace on roofs of houses especially if you live in the South-West. Solar panels are based on the principles of photovoltaics where photons excite electrons in silicon crystals. However, there is another path to solar energy and that is through the solar thermal process.

Thermal solar energy is the technologically unexciting way to capture the Sun’s energy with parabolic mirrors, placing a glass tube at the focal point of the light and running liquid through the pipes allowing it to heat up. The heat generated is used to make steam to spin a traditional turbine just like in a conventional coal-fired plant. So, it isn’t anything fancy or technologically advanced, but it works nonetheless. There is only one other such a power plant in existence to the author’s knowledge in the California desert, which was built in the seventies in a response to the oil crisis.

The one in Nevada is built on 350 acres just minutes south of Boulder City, NV in the Eldorado Valley and is visible from the highway. If you driving from Las Vegas, take highway 95 to the south. You will have to drive through Boulder City on Hwy 95 (just follow the signs) and minutes outside of town you will see an exit to Searchlight. Take it, and head south. In a mile or so you will see the solar energy plant on the right hand side.

As of June of 2007, it is not operational yet, it looks like there is still quite a bit of work done. When complete, it will generate enough power through solar energy to satisfy the consumption of tens of thousands of homes. The downside is that power generated this way is still three times more expensive than employing a coal-fired plant.

One major advantage of harnessing solar energy this way as opposed to solar panels is that it is quite low tech compared to photovoltaics. The silicon crystals needed to generate a flow of electrons when hit with sunlight are formed by baking the compound in an oven through a period of time then slowly cooled to allow the crystals to form. It requires the right equipment, which is expensive. Even with larger production volumes solar energy through photovoltaics is quite a bit more expensive than conventional power. Solar thermal power has a similar problem, however since its technology requirements are low, economics of scale should more easily close the gap.

Nevada Solar One is Nevada’s first solar power plant and is located a few miles outside if Las Vegas.

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