Comments on: Clean solar energy

By: eXcommunicate1979

eXcommunicate1979 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:55:49 +0000

Well, I say we do …
Well, I say we do it all, including hydrogen, tidal, natural gas and other methods. We should also double our investment in fusion. I know it seems like a pipedream, but IMHO at this point it’s not a matter of if, but when. And sooner if better than later. I’m a Progressive and I have no problem with fission either. Second generation reactors can now use spent fuel from other reactors, which is a cool development. I’d like as broad an energy portfolio as possible for our country.

By: tuttt99

tuttt99 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:55:49 +0000

Exactly. Wind and …
Exactly. Wind and solar make great supplements but they will never be able to provide base load power. Wind turbines are nearing their theoretical efficiency and solar panels may ideally reach 30-40% efficiency, but are still limited by a capacity factor of about 12-20% (~30-40%) for wind.

Compare this with an average capacity factor of 92% for nuclear power combined with its high power density, and you will quickly see that wind and solar cannot begin to compete with it

By: eXcommunicate1979

eXcommunicate1979 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:55:49 +0000

The good thing is …
The good thing is that “dirty power” is only a startup cost and not inherent in the power generation itself.

By: eXcommunicate1979

eXcommunicate1979 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:55:49 +0000

PV cells are …
PV cells are excellent for desert or dry climates. Notsogood in the Midwest or Northeast. Current solar tech is good for supplementing your power source, not replacing it. There are a few breakthroughs recently, but it’s a matter of getting the right capital to bring these things to market, and we all know how difficult that is, so…

By: tuttt99

tuttt99 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:55:49 +0000

Good luck powering …
Good luck powering your home on Solar unless you have lots of land.

Power output ~250 Watts per square metre. (about 2 to 4 light bulbs). But then you have to figure in night time and cloudy time and morning and night, which will reduce the net output by about a factor of seven (look up “capacity factor”), will give you about 30 w

By: cdambati

cdambati — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:55:49 +0000

yeh it uses nuclear …
yeh it uses nuclear fusion or something? pretty sure humans be trying to make a nuclear fusion reactor by 2035 (so we can have our own little sun on earth) lol

By: abmod01

abmod01 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:55:49 +0000

I built my own …
I built my own Solar Panels for under $100 which are currently powering my 1700 Square Foot home using the plans at:

ambigrid-review.blogspot(DOT)com

By: toob247

toob247 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:55:49 +0000

sooner than one …
sooner than one that never does:)

By: IdahoViewing

IdahoViewing — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:55:49 +0000

I just wonder how …
I just wonder how much DIRTY power (mining, transport, manufacturing, embly) it takes to produce a facility like this, or even a home sized one. Anyone have those figures? How long will it take for this facility to neutralize that?

By: IdahoViewing

IdahoViewing — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:55:49 +0000

The Sun is the ONLY …
The Sun is the ONLY energy source. EVERY other source of energy originates in that ball of fire!