California Gigafactory

[Jack6591]

Gas 2 | Bridging the gap between green heads and gear heads.

Tesla 'gigafactory' would fit fine by Salton Sea

California (Innovation capital of the world)+Geothermal+Lithium production (from geothermal brines)+location/location/location=Gigafactory

JMHO

 

[igotzzoom]

If the anti-business bureaucrats don't get in the way. I know Tesla is in many ways part of the "green dream" of environmental progressives, but either way, California still has a daunting gauntlet of environmental regulations, laws, and requirements that are much less stringent and time-consuming in other states. My money's on Nevada, both for its less-restrictive regulatory environment, and relatively close proximity to Fremont.

 

[Jack6591]

If the anti-business bureaucrats don't get in the way. I know Tesla is in many ways part of the "green dream" of environmental progressives, but either way, California still has a daunting gauntlet of environmental regulations, laws, and requirements that are much less stringent and time-consuming in other states. My money's on Nevada, both for its less-restrictive regulatory environment, and relatively close proximity to Fremont.

When Toyota relocated to Texas I feel like the mood in Sacramento shifted. I am hoping that Governor Brown comes back aggressively. Time will tell.

The Gigafactory, will require copious amounts of electrical power. One source that has been left out of the equation is geothermal. Combining solar, wind, and geothermal would be an incredible renewable energy "hat trick'. Add to this Simbol Materials process for producing lithium from geothermal brine and the Salton Sea becomes an attractive alternative.

 

[AudubonB]

Jackl - and anyone else - I'm trying to learn more about Simbol; the cartoon they have on their website ("Breakthrough Technology") of their process stream is something I find confusing. One of my backgrounds is in hydrothermal fluids, and the terrible problem that entrepreneur after entrepreneur over the past three decades has found with geothermal brines is that the dissolved materials associated with the hot fluids have an ineluctable propensity - standard high-T fluid chemistry here - to precipitate out these solids as soon as you start lowering either P or T (ie, using the fluid's heat to turn turbines, etc.).

Now, normally this is a Bad Thing: encrusted turbines have a lifespan of approximately -1.21 gigaseconds. But these precipitates are exactly what Simbol wants (ie thier contained Li, et al). So the pertinent question is: have they figured out how to isolate precipitates from useful steam?

1. If they haven't, they will fail in the same fashion as everyone else have.
2. If they have, there is a good chance they can succeed both in Salton Sea brines as well as a vast number of other geothermal locations - both as a source of Li, Br, Mn, perhaps Zn, AS WELL AS a source of electricity.

But I can't find good hard stuff to chew on.....

 

[igotzzoom]

When Toyota relocated to Texas I feel like the mood in Sacramento shifted. I am hoping that Governor Brown comes back aggressively. Time will tell.

The Gigafactory, will require copious amounts of electrical power. One source that has been left out of the equation is geothermal. Combining solar, wind, and geothermal would be an incredible renewable energy "hat trick'. Add to this Simbol Materials process for producing lithium from geothermal brine and the Salton Sea becomes an attractive alternative.

Salton Sea area would be a great place to locate it. The area is severely economically depressed, and could really use the jobs. Would be great positive PR for both the state and Tesla for bringing jobs to that area. Hopefully it's not too late.

 

[ecarfan]

That is the commonly published estimate of the number of jobs per gigafactory.