Energy and Environment

Emerging solar plants scorch birds in midair

By Washington Examiner

Published August 18, 2014 4:00am ET

Add Washington Examiner on Google

Emerging solar plants scorch birds in midair — This October 2013 photo provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows a burned Yellow-rumped Warbler that was found at the Ivanpah solar plant in the California Mojave Desert. Workers at a state-of-the-art new solar plant have a word for the birds that fly over the plantâs five-mile field of mirrors, âstreamers,â for the puff of smoke as the birds ignite in mid-air and fall singed to the ground. (AP Photo/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) | Uncredited

IVANPAH DRY LAKE, Calif. — Workers at a state-of-the-art solar plant in the Mojave Desert have a name for birds that fly through the plant’s concentrated sun rays — “streamers,” for the smoke plume that comes from birds that ignite in midair.

Print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Digital subscriber? Click here to login/register your account.

Full midterm coverage.Deeper analysis.

Get unlimited access to Washington Examiner's reporting, expert analysis, and coverage of the midterm elections.

Get Unlimited Access

Cancel anytime.

Tag:

Associated Press California Fish and Wildlife Solar Energy