In the early eighties driving into Las Barrrancas from the South road to La Purisma there was an out of place steel power or desal plant sitting on
the ocean. The word was that it was a West German project. Facts that could be gathered were only hearsay. It was fairly incredible to reach the top
of a shallow grade and see this thing sitting in the middle of nowhere. Someone told me that it had been dismantled. Does anyone know anything about
this project?cocoscabana - 7-23-2013 at 03:05 PM
We were told that a ?german? Company built a solar energy plant there, trained Mexicans and then turned it over to them. It was then scrapped!!!
There is a photo of the plant on this site. http://www.en.nuestro-mexico.com/Baja-California-Sur/Comondu...
Solar tech
huesos - 7-23-2013 at 05:31 PM
That is a good website. During that period it must have been one of the first solar generators. I have to admit that I did not take the time to try to
study the design but I did not find a picture of it on the website. It was an entirely futuristic looking thing.cocoscabana - 7-23-2013 at 05:55 PM
At the bottom of the website there is a brown photo labelled "Proyecto sontlan 1982". I think that is the building you are talking aboutGraham - 7-23-2013 at 07:29 PM
As I walked my burro, Bonny, down the Pacific coast of Baja in 1984 I happened upon the facility there at Las Barrancas and spent a night with the
German engineers.
This passage from chapter 29 of my book, Into a Desert Place, tells the story:
"Cresting one ridge, I suddenly understood how Cortés must have felt when he looked for the first time on the magnificent capital city of the Aztecs.
I was looking down on something that seemed to have been taken from a “Star Wars” movie set—an incongruous, futuristic, complex of towers, huge shiny
dishes, and other high-tech structures.
We wandered down into the fishcamp, village, town—no word seemed appropriate to describe the coastal settlement of Las Barrancas. It didn’t belong in
Baja. Nor did the primitive fishermen’s shacks belong on the same planet as all the impressive technology. I had found the Teutonic sun worshippers
all right. “Only the Germans could have thought up this lot,” I said to myself as I led my dumbfounded burro into “town.”
Passing the school, we picked up an audience of cheering, laughing and waving Mexican children. I waved back and asked one of the bolder youngsters if
there was a store. He directed me to a small blue house down the street. The “store” had the basics but no beer. I was disappointed. I had been
dreaming of a cold one all day. Instead, I treated myself to some milk and cookies. A curious but polite crowd gathered around. Thankfully, Bonny
remained calm. He was probably exhausted. I still had nightmares about the time he spooked in San Ignacio.
One of the fishermen, who spoke better English than I did Spanish, explained that the plant was a joint German-Mexican project experimenting with wind
and solar energy. Wanting to know more, I wandered over to pay my respects to the German engineers. The first person I met had only just arrived from
Europe. Clearly, the last thing this jet lagged, culture shocked German expected to see was a desert-bedraggled Englishman walking a bewildered little
white burro.
I’m not sure who was more curious about whom. But I was invited into their simple quarters, offered a beer (I hadn’t wished in vain) and introduced to
the other seven Germans. They all worked for the Dornier company (of World War Two bomber fame). One of them was married to a Mexican girl, and he was
a more or less permanent resident. The others apparently stayed for just a couple of weeks at a time.
We had much to talk about. I was given a room for the night, so I tied Bonny to a cactus, gave him a cookie and told him to look after himself while I
went back to help my fellow Europeans deal with a barrel of beer they had just brought in.
Before anyone got too drunk, I asked if any of them fancied his hand at repairing a camera. One tall, blond chap managed to take the camera apart, but
after tinkering around a bit he shook his head and put it back together again.
I drowned my sorrows in the beer and asked about their projects. Apparently the plant was producing twenty tons of fresh water daily by solar
evaporation of seawater, and an additional twenty tons by diesel powered osmosis. Solar power was also used to heat water and to make ice, which they
were producing at the rate of two tons a day for the local fishermen. They also had in operation a shockfrost room for rapid freezing and a cold
storage room. They had just finished boiling and freezing a ton of lobster which had been shipped to La Paz. Wind power was harnessed by an enormous
propeller spinning smoothly in the Pacific breeze.
When the room started spinning I decided to hit the sack and leave the die-hard Bierkeller-trained professionals to carry on making merry to the early
hours.
Next morning, I was given a huge breakfast and invited on a high-tech tour. I slipped a roll of film into a borrowed camera and snapped my way around
the plant. It was a fascinating, futuristic vision of Baja’s potential. What a prospect, obtaining ice, fresh water, and heat from the wind, the sun,
and the sea! I should have felt good about this clean and efficient utilization of energy, but I loaded my donkey and walked away a little saddened by
what German genius and technical skill might do for the forgotten peninsula."
David K - 7-23-2013 at 11:10 PM
Thanks Graham, a great reply to the Las Barrancas history question!
nice burro
huesos - 7-24-2013 at 04:13 PM
Graham,
That was a great story of that leg of your journey and a good photo of you at the base of the array. Bonny looks like one of those good natured burros
that you run into every once in a while. Wish I could have crossed paths with the two of you on that trip.Correcamino - 7-24-2013 at 05:38 PM
Here's the photo (from Panoramio) for those too lazy to click through:
[Edited on 7-27-2013 by BajaNomad]Correcamino - 7-24-2013 at 06:05 PM
Here's a more recent, and artistic, shot of the derelict structure (from Panoramio again, by ALONSO "RENO"):
[Edited on 7-25-2013 by Correcamino]oladulce - 7-25-2013 at 06:50 AM
Very interesting. I had no idea the installation was so large. Thanks for the photos.
Here's what it looks like nowadays - down to a few walls with casas all around. It was a little breezy on this day...
[Edited on 7-26-2013 by oladulce]tiotomasbcs - 7-25-2013 at 12:55 PM
Very interesting story! I camped out long ago at the boca of San Gregorio and wondered about all the lights that lit up the night approx 10 miles
away. Sadly it was not maintained-used after the Germans left?! Ice,electricity, a/c-heat in the middle of the Baja desert. Crazy. Thanks for the
question & answers, esp the pictures! Tio ddawson - 7-25-2013 at 04:09 PM
"Project Sontlan works for several years quiet well and deliver energy for Las Barrancas. But now in 2012 have a look to the both following pictures.
All removable parts of the project Sontlan, build for 90 millions DM, has been gone to somewhere!"
(DM= Deutsche/ German Marks)
"...Gone to somewhere"!!! willardguy - 7-26-2013 at 11:01 AM
this is a fascinating story, where did all those high tech gizmo's go? I bet a closer look around town you can spot roofs made out of those pretty
blue glass panels, wiring is now fences, everything got turned into something useful! here are the lessons learned from these projects:
before the locals stopped keeping the Las Barancas strip safe for us we ran a monthly clinic there, phx flying Sams - in the late 80s early 90s.
for a while we tried to use the La Purisima strip and van in but that later became problematic - so adios Las Barancas.
the German plant was abandoned by the time we began work there but we always walked around and checked it out. Very interesting stuff. ahead of its
time in many ways. Like the Germans generally.
La Paz will soon have a 13 Meg PV solar utility scale grid plant going. CFE is jumping all over solar power now. Our friends have completed a panel
mfg plant in Hermosillo using all new state of the art equip imported from china.BajaNomad - 7-27-2013 at 10:14 AM
La Paz and Las Barrancas - Sonntlan
In a joint project between the Federal Republic of Germany and Mexico in the late 1970s, a
solar multi-stage flash distillation plant was built in a desalination research facility in La Paz. The
project was called SMSF. With a capacity of 10 m3/day, the plant was commissioned in 1980.
The plant consisted of 10 stages (8 heat recovery and 2 heat rejection) and had a 194 m2 solar
flat plate collector field for daytime operation, 2 X 162 m2 flat plate collector fields to supply heat
to the energy storage for night time operation. The plant was designed to operate continuously 24 h
a day; the storage could keep the plant working for over 28 h in normal conditions. A further
160 m2 parabolic concentrating collector field was also included, collectors were mounted on
high-precision two-axis tracking bases. The plant operated satisfactorily according to its design.
After the success of this project the German and Mexican governments signed agreements for
more research collaboration which gave rise to Sonntlan, a larger solar energy research project in
the early 1980s. Sonntlan had two parts, one in another state in Mexico researching air
conditioning and hotwater systems for houses, and the one in Las Barrancas, BCS, which involved
several different solar applications including solar desalination.
In Las Barranas, a fishing community on the coast of BCS, Sonntlan implemented an integral
system providing drinking desalinated water, ice, hot water, communications, refrigeration and
electricity to the community of 250 inhabitants. This included:
• A 250 kW peak PV generator
• A 1540 m2 solar hot water collector field (heat pipe collectors)
• 3 X 38 m3 hot water storage tanks
• 550.8 m2 of parabolic trough concentrating collectors for the hot oil system
• A 16 m3 hot oil storage tank
• Heat exchanger between hot oil and hot water circuits
• Diesel generators
• An 8 m3/day single stage waste heat recovery flash distillation unit
• A 20 m3/day multiple stage solar flash distillation unit
• A 20 m3/day reverse osmosis desalination unit
• An ice-making facility
• An absorption-compression deep freezing facility for local produce (fish)
• A PV-powered communications system
When the agreements ended, both plants (La Paz and Las Barrancas) operated for some time
and then the projects were just abandoned. Although the reasons for this are not perfectly clear, the
political climate of the time, the use of largely foreign technology and the lack local consultation
can explain partly why these operations came to a stop.
"The dismantling consists of the organisational and the business side of the conducting of the: - dismantling of the technical facilities, their
disposal or utilisation, and the - disposal of the hazardous waste, including the oil-contaminated soil. The recycling and disposal of the hazardous
waste found at the Las Barrancas site and the sealing (including a draining system for the surface water) of the oil-contaminated area could be
completed during the project period. Because of the measures implemented so far during this project, no more hazards to the environment are emanating
from the SONNTLAN-Facilities. The 'facility ruins' still exist. During the project period, the Mexican government was unstable to create the legal
conditions which would have made the dismantling of the facilities in La Paz and Las Barrancas possible. The Mexican government is still very
interested in dismantling the facilities with German help. The decision now lies with the BMBF, whether to carry on with the dismantling of the
SONNTLAN-Facilities with financial resources from Germany or not. Corresponding funds have already been approved and are available.
The abandoned plant in La Paz is on the road to Pichilingue, about a mile north of town right where the road begins climbing up before Playa Coromuel
and just below Cueva de Las Calaveras. The buildings now appear to be office space.
Project Sontlan at Las Barrancas
bajagerman - 8-15-2014 at 09:33 AM
I have place photos via Panoramio to Google Earth. The will be present there end of month 8/2014. Also i have placed many details at my homepage www.info-inmarsat.gmxhome.de
please see there to Sontlan Las Barrancas. Report is written in english language. Joachim
Mail: JPaul@gmx.commicah202 - 8-15-2014 at 10:26 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by bajagerman
I have place photos via Panoramio to Google Earth. The will be present there end of month 8/2014. Also i have placed many details at my homepage www.info-inmarsat.gmxhome.de
please see there to Sontlan Las Barrancas. Report is written in english language. Joachim
Mail: JPaul@gmx.com
...ahh..installing communications,,,and the whole project delayed a year because of a lie about there being a cargo helicopter!
......did german government feel happy with their investment of 90 million(!!!) markes in '77 ??......I hope that budget included some 'fun times' in
town and tequila bill,no?
[Edited on 8-15-2014 by micah202]bajagerman - 8-15-2014 at 10:56 AM
Have been there 3 times. first for site survey than for installation and training of my mexican crew and then for warranty check one year later. Maby
i find somebody going to the place of the relay station and send me some photos.
This is also a very good place for a geocache. Joemicah202 - 8-15-2014 at 11:01 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by bajagerman
Have been there 3 times. first for site survey than for installation and training of my mexican crew and then for warranty check one year later. Maby
i find somebody going to the place of the relay station and send me some photos.
This is also a very good place for a geocache. Joe
....any of the german crew end up staying a long time,,,marrying locals?...it'd be great fun to come across a mexicano speaking german vgabndo - 8-15-2014 at 01:29 PM
I just read the report you made above, Bajagerman. Wow, you guys were WAY ahead of your time. Much of the same technology is basic to the sea water
greenhouses which are just now catching on. Of course, Germany's use of renewable energy production should be a huge source of pride.bajagerman - 8-17-2014 at 04:58 AM
thank you vgabndo, the seawater greenhouse is a nice project. But in the project Sontlan we produces allready fresh water by solar energy. But during
my time at Las Barrancas i have seen another way about agriculture in this area. They drill down until they found fresh water for the agriculture. For
a while this has been working ok but after that the water get salty and the flat was not more usable. So the repeated the procedure again away from
the first flat and so on. If you know somebody who is willing to place a geocaching at tho top of the hill let me know. All details about my wish you
find under www.info-inmarsat.gmxhome.de/sontlan.htmlbajagerman - 8-19-2014 at 07:37 AM
The photos at the position of the Sontlan Project Las Barrancas are present now in Google Earth. The photos at the relay position ar not present until
now will following later. Joachimbajagerman - 8-26-2014 at 08:55 AM
The photos at the position Las Barrancas are indeed present now but not in the correct position. I corrected all and hopefully after the next Google
Earth update they will be in the correct position.
[Edited on 8-27-2014 by bajagerman]bajagerman - 9-3-2014 at 05:17 AM
At the original place of project Sontlan at Las Barrancas i added some photos during the worktime of the project as well as two photos from Francisco
as it looks 2013. I have corrected the positions of all photos. Now all are inside the original plant.bajagerman - 2-9-2015 at 02:11 AM
How is the situation at Las Barrancas after Odile?bajagerman - 4-27-2015 at 08:07 AM
If everything goes well we will have soon a geocache at top of the radio relay hill. The first 3 finder of the cache which send me the code will
receive a video about installation and setup of the radio link between Las Barrancas and Ciudad Constitucion.
[Edited on 4-28-2015 by bajagerman]Cliffy - 4-27-2015 at 08:59 AM
Anyone remember the desalinization plant at BOLA?bajagerman - 5-9-2016 at 11:51 AM
We are now in may 2016 and the work is done. A geocache is placed and I received photos from top of the radio relay hill. My original idea has been to
place the Memoriam Sonntlan geocache at top of the radio relay hill. From there you will have a fantastic view over the Baja California. The first who
investigate the area there has been Harald 4x4abc. During summertime 2014 he try to climb up the hill to take some photos. But he run into problems
which are before unknown to me. All around the Radio hill are now fences and gates which make it difficulty to arrive the “parking place” position.
This produce a lot of delay to him and finally he gave up to arrive the top. Please see his report in this threat about the problems. To my time there
have been no fences and gates at all.
Later on ncampion offers me to climb up the hill and take photos there. But than the hurricane Odile arrives the Baja California and stops all
activities.
Longer time after Odile I placed a new call at this threat. Tom TMW and his friend Bill offers me to have a look to the radio hill. Also both,
coming from the north, running into fences and gates. At a ranch the meet the owner of it, Mr. Salvador. He said the way up the hill is very
difficulty due to heavy rain just before. So the stop further activities that time.
In April 2016 Tom wrote me they start a new expedition with a team to Baja California. We discussed about the place of the geocache. We decided it not
to place on top the hill it will to difficulty to go to this place instead Tom made another proposal. After return of the expedition I get the
confirmation pictures from the radio hill are taken and the geocache is placed.
As I wrote in this threat I offer the following: the first three geocache hunter which find this geocache will receive from me a video of the
constructions time of project Sonntlan Baja California.
The first three geocache hunter must do the following:
Open the geocache box and write to the logbook name, date and time. Make a photo about the content of the box as well as a photo from the logbook
entry. Note down the codeword which is placed inside the box. Send me a mail with attached photos as well as the codeword to joachim.paul@gmx.com in
return I will send you the video of the constructions time of project Sonntlan as mail attachment in several pieces.
The details to the geocache you will find at www.geocaching.com and there with the code GC6GP8N. Position of the geocache 25 47.900 N 111 59.260 W
If you found the geocache please sign in to www.geocaching.com and confirm your finding details there.
At www.info-inmarsat.gmxhome.de and there under “Project Sonntlan at Las Barrancas” you will find a lot of details as well as many pictures of it.
Happy geocache hunting wishes:
Joachim
from Hamburg in Germany bajagerman - 5-18-2016 at 11:36 AM
The first geocache at Baja California Sur westcoast is placed now.
Have a look to www.geocaching.com and the code GC6GP8N
At www.info-inmarsat.gmxhome.de and there under “Project Sonntlan at Las Barrancas” you will find a lot of details as well as many pictures of it.bajagerman - 6-9-2016 at 06:22 AM
We still waiting for the first finder of this geocache.
Of course this place is a challenge but the first 3 finder will receive a video from me and will earn the honor :-). For the details please look to: www.geocaching.com and the code GC6GP8N David K - 6-9-2016 at 07:03 AM
Good luck with the Geocache. The sport in Baja began about 16 years ago with a cache hidden by Timothy Walker (of the former TimsBaja.com website). In
2001, my friends and I found Tim's "Baja Boulder" geocache... north of Coco's Corner. I also hid 4 in Baja back in 2001 and one is still active.
Finding the Baja Boulder Cache: http://www.vivabaja.com/van1/page11.html
[Edited on 6-9-2016 by David K]bajagerman - 6-9-2016 at 07:53 AM
Hi David, thank you for the information. I´m realy willing to find your geocaches but i´m about 9300 KM away from Baja California so i will have
little problems with it :-). Greatings from Hamburg in GermanyDavid K - 6-9-2016 at 08:01 AM
Hello! I too like the sport of Geocaching, but have not done any for many years. It was fun when my kids were younger and liked the high tech
'hide-and-seek' game. Life sometimes gets in the way of doing all the fun things we would like to.bajagerman - 11-8-2017 at 10:49 AM
Thanks for finding it, goods news. bajagerman - 11-13-2017 at 09:56 AM
"BornFisher" is the first finder of the Memorian Sonntlan geocache.
For more details you may look to: www.dj7wl.darc.de
and after that click to:"Ein Forschungsprojekt der Bundesrepublik Deutschland und eine Wette" it is all in english languagebajacalifornian - 11-13-2017 at 06:13 PM
WAY TO GO SEÑOR!!!
[Edited on 11-14-2017 by bajacalifornian]bajagerman - 11-17-2017 at 11:22 AM
Now we are waiting for the next geocache hunter. David K - 11-17-2017 at 11:24 AM
Do you hide geocaches in Germany?bajagerman - 11-18-2017 at 03:18 AM
yes, it is very popular hier in Germany. I myself found also some, but mostly for this ones for radioamateurs. Also i hide 4 allready.bajagerman - 11-26-2017 at 06:50 AM
We are waiting now for the next geocache hunter. As a little hint, here comes a picture of the nearby surroundings. For the full story look at: www.dj7wl.darc.de and there click to "Ein Forschungsprojekt der Bundesrepublik Deutschland" all in english language
[Edited on 11-26-2017 by bajagerman]bajagerman - 1-24-2018 at 12:34 AM
But now we all waiting for the next finder of this geocache. Also she or he will receive from me the original Video about the constructions time of
the project Sonntlan at the places Ciudad de Constitucion, the relais station at top of the hill and the system itself at Las Barrancas.
From this next finder I like very much to receive photos about the way to the geocache as well as photos about the surrounding of the geocache
position. If she or he likes it I will place this photo either here at this forum or at my homepage www.dj7wl.darc.debajagerman - 4-8-2018 at 12:58 AM
But now we all waiting for the next finder of this geocache. Also she or he will receive from me the original Video about the constructions time of
the project Sonntlan at the places Ciudad de Constitucion, the relais station at top of the hill and the system itself at Las Barrancas.
From this next finder I like very much to receive photos about the way to the geocache as well as photos about the surrounding of the geocache
position. If she or he likes it I will place this photo either here at this forum or at my homepage www.dj7wl.darc.debajagerman - 12-4-2019 at 02:20 AM
There is some new activity with member Treeplanter
[Edited on 12-4-2019 by bajagerman]
[Edited on 12-4-2019 by bajagerman]bajagerman - 4-4-2020 at 02:46 AM
you may read the full story about the project Sontlan at Las Barrancas:
If you type or merge the following coordinates in either Google Maps or Google Earth you will see the position of the geocachen in the dessert of Baja
California. 25 47.900 N 111 59.260 W
Around this position you will see the way up the hill for the repeater position as well the position of the station itself att Las Barrancas and the
feed point to the international telephon and data network in Ciudad
Constitucion. For more information read this blog or see a video of the constrctions time of the project Sonntlan at Las Barancas. https://youtu.be/A210bOGgVmU
What a pity that all the time, money, and effort went for nothing. The facility was a lot more valuable in operation than sold off for parts. bajagerman - 6-3-2021 at 10:14 AM
hi bajabruno, you're basically right, it's a shame that all the material for 90 million dm has disappeared into nowhere.
On the other hand, one has to see that the results of this research project were very important for the Federal Republic of Germany.
Wind energy, solar cells and thermal energy were used in the project. The data was collected and evaluated in Germany.
Telephony and data transport were my area of expertise in this project as well as the radio link between Las Barrancas and Ciuda Constitucion. bajagerman - 6-3-2021 at 10:20 AM
In the central computer in Las Barrancas, all data was merged, pre-sorted and permanently transmitted to Germany.
bajagerman - 6-3-2021 at 10:22 AM
This is the control place for the central computer.
In a joint project between the Federal Republic of Germany and Mexico in the late 1970s, a
solar multi-stage flash distillation plant was built in a desalination research facility in La Paz. The
project was called SMSF. With a capacity of 10 m3/day, the plant was commissioned in 1980.
The plant consisted of 10 stages (8 heat recovery and 2 heat rejection) and had a 194 m2 solar
flat plate collector field for daytime operation, 2 X 162 m2 flat plate collector fields to supply heat
to the energy storage for night time operation. The plant was designed to operate continuously 24 h
a day; the storage could keep the plant working for over 28 h in normal conditions. A further
160 m2 parabolic concentrating collector field was also included, collectors were mounted on
high-precision two-axis tracking bases. The plant operated satisfactorily according to its design.
After the success of this project the German and Mexican governments signed agreements for
more research collaboration which gave rise to Sonntlan, a larger solar energy research project in
the early 1980s. Sonntlan had two parts, one in another state in Mexico researching air
conditioning and hotwater systems for houses, and the one in Las Barrancas, BCS, which involved
several different solar applications including solar desalination.
In Las Barranas, a fishing community on the coast of BCS, Sonntlan implemented an integral
system providing drinking desalinated water, ice, hot water, communications, refrigeration and
electricity to the community of 250 inhabitants. This included:
� A 250 kW peak PV generator
� A 1540 m2 solar hot water collector field (heat pipe collectors)
� 3 X 38 m3 hot water storage tanks
� 550.8 m2 of parabolic trough concentrating collectors for the hot oil system
� A 16 m3 hot oil storage tank
� Heat exchanger between hot oil and hot water circuits
� Diesel generators
� An 8 m3/day single stage waste heat recovery flash distillation unit
� A 20 m3/day multiple stage solar flash distillation unit
� A 20 m3/day reverse osmosis desalination unit
� An ice-making facility
� An absorption-compression deep freezing facility for local produce (fish)
� A PV-powered communications system
When the agreements ended, both plants (La Paz and Las Barrancas) operated for some time
and then the projects were just abandoned. Although the reasons for this are not perfectly clear, the
political climate of the time, the use of largely foreign technology and the lack local consultation
can explain partly why these operations came to a stop. bajagerman - 1-14-2022 at 02:41 AM
Hi TMW,
Thank you for your good report on the Sonntlan project.
Huesos started this blog because people were wondering about the strange buildings
in Las Barrancas.Later I found this blog and always wrote something on the subject.
I started my own blog because of a bet I had with my grandchildren.
Why did I like it so much in Mexico on the Baja California?
Met a lot of friendly people there and had a good crew of technicians who helped me with the
installation in Las Barrancas, Ciuda de Constitution and at the Radio Relay Hill station.
Joachim
Hamburg/Germany bajagerman - 4-23-2022 at 01:29 AM
Very interesting, Joachim. I wonder how the solar distillation system worked out over a long period? Too bad everything was removed as it was a very
ambitious project for the time.
Are you ever planning on returning to La Paz and revisiting this project? If so, I have a place west of La Paz you and any family members you bring
are welcome to camp out at.
