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by abracadaniel 1520 days ago
Storing and piping molten salt proved too unreliable for the Crescent Dunes solar collector. Swapping out the simple and free heat source with a much more complex nuclear reactor doesn’t seem like a good idea.

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

2 comments

Mostly because of problems with foundations and the power-tower architecture. And note that other molten salt concentrated solar plants have done just fine, and that nuclear power is much more highly regulated and requires a higher degree of engineering analysis than a concentrated solar plant (that's why it's so expensive, in large part!)
There are multiple other solar plants operating with molten salts without issue, including the biggest in Morocco.