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Comment by JKCalhoun | Hacker News Reader

> Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

Blew my mind when I drove past that (on the way to Las Vegas?).

I swear it appeared as though the air was incandescing at the top of the tower where all the sun's rays were focused. Def something out of a Sci-Fi film....

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You truly don’t understand how blinding it is until you drive past it. I didn’t realize it was in San Bernardino.

I saw it driving from Las Vegas to SF. Remember it being near Zzyzx which reminded me of Sonic Youth music video.

Birds literally burst into flames in the air.

There's the Crescent Dunes Solar Plant outside of Tonopah, NV which is also on the way to Las Vegas. It's further away from the road I believe but it's equally as blinding. The first time I drove past it I was shocked.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crescent_Dunes_Solar_Energy_Pr...

The glowing tower contains molten salt, used to store the focused solar energy. [1] I never knew that was a thing until I too drove past it. It was one of the more memorable sights on a 3000 mile road trip.

[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_thermal_energy#Molten_...

Ivanpah uses water, not salts:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivanpah_Solar_Power_Facility

Or perhaps Fallout: New Vegas....

Definitely. Unfortunately I was driving by in heavy traffic (memorial day weekend rush to Las Vegas) or I would have slowed to find a safe spot to stop and take that sight in.

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