California Mining Company Turns to Solar Heat but Can’t Quit Coal Just Yet

California mining company turns to solar heat but can’t quit coal just yet

In California’s Mojave Desert, a mining plant is turning to solar thermal energy to replace one of its coal-fired generators, but a second unit may run for years due to the intense heat and 24-hour power it needs.Ivan Penn reports for The New York Times.In short:Searles Valley Minerals, a mining company in Trona, Calif., is replacing one of its two coal plants with a solar thermal system but says the other may need to stay online for the foresee…

Why Eliminating Coal Could Take a Long Time

Searles Valley Minerals, a mining and processing plant in Trona, Calif., needs a power source that can run all day and generate heat to run the operation’s steam-driven equipment.