Rising above the vast expanse of Israel’s Negev Desert, the Ashalim Solar Thermal Power Station has earned an unlikely nickname: the “Eye of Sauron”. Topped by a brilliantly glowing solar receiver that can be seen from kilometres away, and has even been described as visible from space, the 240-metre tower bears a striking resemblance to the all-seeing eye from The Lord of the Rings. Yet this futuristic-looking landmark is not a military installation, but the centrepiece of one of Israel’s most ambitious renewable energy projects. Using around 50,000 computer-controlled mirrors, the facility concentrates sunlight onto the tower’s receiver to generate electricity. The remarkable structure has become both a showcase of Israeli engineering and a subject of fascination, local folklore and environmental debate.
Why is it called the ‘Eye of Sauron’
The nickname stems entirely from the tower’s appearance. Mounted near the top of the structure is a large circular solar receiver that resembles a giant glowing eye, particularly when illuminated at night. The resemblance has led internet users to compare it with the fictional Eye of Sauron from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, which according to Tolkien Gateway is the symbol of the Dark Lord’s constant vigilance.In its 2022 feature on the project, The New York Times noted that some locals affectionately referred to it as a “second sun”, while others felt its constant glow made it resemble the ominous Eye of Sauron from J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels. The nickname eventually spread across social media and international news coverage. Unlike its fictional counterpart, the real “Eye of Sauron” is not a surveillance system at all. Its purpose is to generate electricity. Thousands of computer-controlled mirrors continuously track the Sun, directing its rays towards the receiver at the top of the tower, where the concentrated heat is converted into steam to drive electricity-generating turbines.
What does the tower actually do
The tower is the centrepiece of the Ashalim Solar Thermal Power Station, a concentrated solar power (CSP) facility that converts sunlight into electricity. Rather than generating power directly through photovoltaic panels, the plant uses around 50,000 computer-controlled mirrors, known as heliostats, spread across the surrounding desert. Throughout the day, these mirrors continuously track the Sun and reflect its rays towards a receiver mounted at the top of the tower.The concentrated sunlight heats water in the receiver to produce high-temperature steam, which drives a turbine connected to an electricity generator. When it entered operation in 2019, the tower stood at about 240 metres (790 feet), making it one of Israel’s tallest structures and, at the time, the tallest solar power tower in the world.
Why was it built in the Negev Desert?
The Negev Desert was chosen because it offers some of the best conditions in Israel for concentrated solar power generation. Covering more than half of the country’s land area, the region receives abundant sunshine for most of the year, has vast stretches of open land and experiences relatively little cloud cover, all essential for a solar tower that relies on thousands of mirrors reflecting sunlight onto a single receiver.The Ashalim site also provided enough space to install around 50,000 heliostats, the computer-controlled mirrors that continuously track the Sun and concentrate its rays on the top of the tower. The flat desert landscape minimises shading between mirrors and allows them to operate with maximum efficiency throughout the day.Beyond its natural advantages, the project formed part of Israel’s broader strategy to expand renewable energy production and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. The Ashalim complex was envisioned as a flagship clean-energy project that would help demonstrate Israel’s technological capabilities while it generates about 310 MW (combined with other facilities), enough to power roughly 120,000 homes. Its remote desert location also meant the massive solar field and 240-metre tower could be built with minimal impact on densely populated urban areas, even though the glowing tower has since become an unmistakable landmark visible from many kilometres away.
From record-breaking height to an unexpected environmental challenge
When it was completed in 2019, the Ashalim Solar Thermal Power Station stood at 240 metres (around 790 feet), making it the tallest solar power tower in the world. It has since been overtaken by Dubai’s Noor Energy 1, which rises to 260 metres (about 850 feet), leaving Ashalim as the world’s second-tallest solar tower. The project has also drawn attention for an unintended environmental consequence. According to The New York Times, local residents have reported that birds occasionally fly through the concentrated beams of reflected sunlight and are fatally burned before falling to the ground. The incident has fuelled debate over the ecological impact of concentrated solar power plants, particularly on bird populations.
A landmark praised by some, questioned by others
While the Ashalim tower is widely recognised as a remarkable engineering achievement, it has not been without controversy. Supporters see it as a showcase of Israel’s renewable energy ambitions and an important step towards reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Critics, however, argue that by the time the project became operational, conventional photovoltaic solar panels had become significantly cheaper, raising questions about whether such an expensive concentrated solar power system remained the best investment. The New York Times also reported that some residents living near the tower described its brilliant reflection as both mesmerising and disruptive, turning the structure into an everyday presence in village life.