Greenbird on dirt at Ivanpah
Now fully set up at Ivanpah. Another day in the hot sun, ironing out any last glitches and fitting a few new systems. No wind forecast today, and until 2pm that was the case, absolutely nothing.
Then, from nowhere, the wind set in blowing 18-25 mph, almost instantly, and I was not ready!
These are not record wind speeds, but very good testing winds. I worked frantically to finish the hydraulics and bleed the system and finally got the wheel covers on at about 3pm.
Pushed it out on to the playa and sure enough, the wind meter was now reading 13 mph, where it stayed till sunset (our self starting threshold is 18 mph of true wind).
Typical. However this is the nature of the desert, sometimes a good forecast does not materialise, and other times a nothing forecast suddenly becomes good for an hour.
There is a better forecast for tomorrow, so hopefully, we will get some runs in.
- Wind speed testing
- Facing the sun
- Like cobbles
- Big and flat but bumpy
- Blue sky thinking
- More blue sky thinking
- These help with the 'cobbles'
- Watching the wind
- Close to the Greenbird
- An expanse of dirt














Richard,
OK, this is it! Ivanpah is a terrific site and if you get the wind, I predict 125mph. I have been following your progress for 8 years and I think now would be a good time to break the existing record!
All the best.
Cheers,
Peter Phillips.
Comment by Peter Phillips — November 20, 2008 @ 4:57 am
Looking good Richard, setting up by yourself?, that’s a good effort.
Good luck with the test runs.
Comment by Colin Leonhardt — November 20, 2008 @ 5:44 am
amazing!!!:D
Comment by Kurt — December 4, 2008 @ 8:17 am