Shams 1 solar plant goes live in Abu Dhabi

Green energy has been the watchword in the U.S. and other countries for years, but the Middle East, known for its oil production, has unveiled the world's largest solar power plant: Shams 1.

The plant is designed to generate as much as 100 megawatts of power at full production and will help power more than 20,000 homes in the sun-filled United Arab Emirates. This was no small feat and took more than $600 million and three years to build with the bulk of control going to renewable energy company, Masdar.

The massive plant has more than 258,000 mirrors on 768 parabolic trough collectors to help collect sunlight in the desert and will help displace 175,000 tons of carbon dioxide every year. The heat from the sunlight teams is transferred to pipes filled with oil, which then help to produce steam that drives a turbine. Steam has long been used to create electricity, but most solar projects involve storing the sun's energy into batteries and not to oil-filled heat pipes.

This is a prime example of a country using its natural landscape to help reduce the amount of energy created by fossil fuels. The arid dessert is ideal for sunlight collection, just as the wind in the United States plains is suited for wind turbines.

The project is also a public relations windfall for an area primarily known for fossil fuel production. The Shams 1 facility helps to address environmental factors such as climate change and global warming. Only time will tell if the plant lives up to expectations as many wind farms in the United States are primarily profitable because of tax incentives and other breaks from the federal government.

The goal of the plant is to create a balance between renewable and fossil fuel energy. Fossil fuels will not be replaced anytime soon, but it is the first major step into creating a long-term renewable energy program that will help decrease the overall environmental impact fossil fuel usage.

Photo courtesy of The Guardian