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To: Mark Ivan who wrote (54810)	6/21/2000 9:24:00 AM
From: Zeev Hed	Respond to of 99985

Good someone check on these, what is a million between friends (my back of the envelope calculation did miss a 10^6 factor), but the point is truly the capital cost and size of solar structures in solar energy is still too high. I should mention that in some areas of th world they actually have regulations requiring some capture of solar energy for domestic energy requirements, they could extend this to more than water heating if the technology was available. One reason for my "distaste", is that I have been trying for the last five years to interest some solar cells people to use a x10 solar concentrator (thus lowering the cost of Si per unit power), but it is always running into "costs" issue, despite the fact that the approach will not even double the cost and will multiply by a factor of 10 the power. Sorry for the error. Zeev

To: Mark Ivan who wrote (54810)	6/21/2000 10:04:00 AM
From: Casaubon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 99985

I haven't had time to check the math on the incident energy from the Sun. I had assumed that Zeev's number was correct, as he usually is <ggg>. The device you speak of to convert heat into electrical does exist. It does not break any laws of thermodynamics. It simply increases the efficiency of energy consumption. This strategy will be employed in hybrid cars (I don't know exactly when). The heat from braking will be recaptured and converted to electrical energy, which will then be stored back into the battery. You see how energy is being conserved (not dissipated into heat), not created? As far as pumping heat across the continents, the grand idea is feasible. This simply amounts to geothermal pumps. They too already exist, and do increase the energy efficiency of homes, in the right geographical locations. However, to do so on the grand scale you suggest must be approached with caution, as the consequences must be well understood. For example, the polar ice caps might recede too quickly and have cataclysmic consequences.