Don Barrett (aka DBs travels)'s photos with the keyword: energy

Energy history in Bakersfield. The collapsed structure to the right of the center of the picture is a generating facility that is being demolished, barely visible in front of it (in the center of the collapsed building) is an oil well -- all surrounded by towers for the electricity grid.

After driving around Kern county and seeing signs everywhere complaining about government interference in agriculture (which wouldn't exist in the valley without government interference), I was surprised to come across an almond process facility that apparently uses solar energy.

South of the town of Avenal, and just across from the state prison at Avenal, a very large solar field. It was encouraging to come across this -- the area is politically conservative and thus one doesn't expect support for new technologies. Due to the relative flatness of the area and the problems with accessing land near prisons, it was difficult to get a picture of the field -- this is taken from next to a recreational field. Per Wikipedia it was commissioned in 2011 and was, at that time, California's largest photovoltaic system. The power is sold to PG&E (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenal_Solar_Facility)

A processing/collection facility for my favorite oil field (see nearby pictures), taken with telephoto from the collection area. The tower in the distant hills appears to be cell phone antenna for traffic on CA-46, which is at the base of the hills.

My favorite (really) oil field. In a valley just west of the Pyramid Hills, an older facility apparently operated by a small, independent, company. The operation seems to be one that just keeps steadily pumping, rather than using the latest techniques to push the most out of the field. Of course, that might be an overly romantic view of the field -- it might be that it just doesn't have the capacity to push it further. But, its encouraging to think that there might be an operator who goes for slow and steady instead of rapid depletion.

My favorite (really) oil field. (See narrative with nearby picture).

The Westside oil fields were booming. If you look closely in the big version of the picture you can see 24 active well heads but also 12 trucks (and 2 port-a-potties), suggesting quite a bit of exploration going on in the field. And this is only a very small segment of the exploration occurring in the area (see the satellite photo).

Interesting historic insignia for "San Joaquin Power," on a substation in Buttonwillow, CA. San Joaquin Power existed from 1895 to 1930, when it merged with Great Western Power which eventually became. PG&E -- which doesn't have nearly as interesting a logo. I didn't find any record of when this power plant was built but I did find that the company was providing electricity in the general area in 1915.

A portion of the San Ardo oil fields, from east of the fields. The field is densely populated with pumps and processing facilities, but I've few pictures of it because the roads through the fields don't have the same feel of being public as in Kern county.

New construction at the California Valley Solar Ranch, a solar energy facility just north of Carrizo Plain Natl Monument. The picture was taken late in the day.

New construction at the California Valley Solar Ranch, a solar energy facility just north of Carrizo Plain Natl Monument. The picture was taken late in the day, thus the bright reflection off the stands for the collectors.

Power poles running along the side of the rows of collectors, at the California Valley Solar Ranch, a solar energy facility just north of Carrizo Plain Natl Monument.

California Valley Solar Ranch, a solar energy facility just north of Carrizo Plain Natl Monument. Unfortunately due to the flatness of the terrain, it was difficult to get a good picture. In this, there is a wall along the south side and then the rows of collectors are barely visible. In the adjacent picture you can see the power poles running along the side.

CA-58, the northern access route for Carrizo Plain Natl Monument. Photo is taken from a point on the perimeter of the California Valley Solar Ranch.

Salton Sea geothermal plants, from Red Hill Marina. The black specks in these pictures are birds, there were huge groups of birds in the air that day. See Zach's for a panorama of the plants: Salton Sea

Salton Sea geothermal plants, from Red Hill Marina. The black specks in these pictures are birds, there were huge groups of birds in the air that day. See Zach's for a panorama of the plants: Salton Sea

Salton Sea geothermal plants, from Red Hill Marina. The black specks in these pictures are birds, there were huge groups of birds in the air that day. See Zach's for a panorama of the plants: Salton Sea

Salton Sea geothermal plants, from Red Hill Marina. The black specks in these pictures are birds, there were huge groups of birds in the air that day. See Zach's for a panorama of the plants: Salton Sea