Dear MEL School’s
Topic Readers,
Huge US thermal
plant opens as industry grows
If a renewable
energy project provides “greater benefits,” will it override the impacts to the
environment? Even if the majority of people agree with the logic, will they all
agree with how the “benefits” are assessed and valued? The value and roles of wildlife
and nature are very difficult to measure, especially in a long run. How much of
the local wildlife or nature can be justified to be sacrificed to achieve a
short-term environmental goal?
The newly opened gigantic
solar thermal plant lies on the Mojave Desert near Nevada-California border. There
aren’t so many trees or greens around the desert but unbroken sunshine
throughout the year. There, 350,000 computer-controlled mirrors take the sun's
rays and reflect them onto towers where water is heated to turn the turbines to
generate power enough to light up 140,000 homes.
The project is the
largest of its kind in America where coal, gas and oil still account for nearly
70 percent of the total power generation.
Enjoy reading the
article and watching the video of this ambitious but controversial solar power
project.
No comments:
Post a Comment