september 12, 2021
when you crest the hill leading out of Tonopah, NV on US-95, heading North towards Reno, if it's a clear morning, you will be greeted with a second sun. It is the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project installation and it's deceptively far away from the town; the incredible power of its light makes it feel tangible immediately but it's a 15-mile drive down a service road to reach it.
I first went there for a variety of reasons: yes, as a transfemme, I did play (at least most of) Fallout: New Vegas, where a structure inspired by this one makes a prominent appearance. My friend atomicthumbs has done art photography here that greatly inspired me.
The main reason I drove towards it though is that it's just striking. After days of driving in the desert and not seeing a structure taller than three stories, a massive tower glowing with the strength of the sun, visible from 20 miles away, inspired a sense of religious awe in me.
I have been planning and hoping to someday make a photo project that concludes here; as most of you know, post-apocalyptic photography and stories are my niche, and I cannot think of a better way to weave a myth into a tale than with a 650-foot tall sun inexplicably glowing in the middle of the desert.
