USA, California:

Opinion: Tesla 'Gigafactory' Would Fit Fine by Salton Sea (The Desert Sun)

Tesla Motors should build its "gigafactory" next to the Salton Sea so it can have easy access to lithium extracted from recycled brine from geothermal plants.

Doing so could be a quantum leap in the goal to create a revenue stream to restore California's largest lake.

Building the factory next to a source of locally produced lithium makes sense. Land is plentiful and inexpensive, and there's plenty of room for solar panels and wind turbines to power the factory.

And it's not far from train tracks that can carry batteries to the factories where cars are assembled. Tesla's goal is to produce 500,000 cars a year by 2020.

The Desert Sun believes a Salton Sea site would be a good fit for the Tesla factory. But more important, it would help solve the intractable challenges facing the sea and its neighbors, and contribute to the Coachella Valley's worldwide reputation as a leader in renewable energy.

Read More.....