Siemens Prepares to Build Molten-Salt Power Plant

Anyone know if these increase temperature locally? Like the urban 'heat island' effect?

The molten salt is only a heat transfer mechanism, and will have no different effect than just using plain water. It's just capable of containing more heat.

The sun is being harnessed in solar collectors. If the panels were not there the sun would instead heat the ground and raise the air temperature. In theory it would have a cooling effect. The system will convert heat energy into electrical energy. "Matter cannot be created nor destroyed, only turned into different forms of energy".

The equipment is a different color than the nearby soil. I guess it could be painted to match but I was just wondering if this type of solar energy capture would cause the local temp to increase. If we put one in siberia would it raise the temp enough to cause localized environmental changes.

I use siberia as an example because raising temp there might have a more pronounced effect. I don't know if it would be a problem in a hot desert or anywhere else, I am just curious if a study has been done.

Since this is a solar collector, it is merely collecting energy that already exists in the region and transferring a large fraction of it as power to other destinations. That being said, it is actually reducing the net energy in a region, and if anything will thus result in a temperature decrease!

What in hell has the color of the equipment matching the surroundings got to do with changing ambient temps? You cannot seriously believe that the difference between say PANTONE 13-0403 TCX Gray Morn and Graystone 19-3915 TCX will make an appreciable difference in the local temperature norm.

Even if it did, the benefits outweigh the sacrifice, IMHO.

Very true. I was just recalling an article that spoke of the way we alter landscape and the way those alterations change the environment. The report spoke of roads and buildings acting like bare stone which caused changes in locations that had been covered in foliage.

If this were to reduce net temp in the immediate area then perhaps a crop can be grown beneath the panels; perhaps a plant that does not require direct sunlight to thrive. Or if it does increase temp then perhaps something could be grown in cold climate solar generators (if the system would work efficiently at such locations).

Not sure how they could as they are only using the solar radiation already falling on that area.
Cities have their own microclimate, but they are consuming extra power imported from elsewhere (electricity/gas/oil etc) in addition to the incident solar radiation.
Del