Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: KLP who wrote (290494)	2/1/2009 4:02:14 PM
From: KLP	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 794268

A most interesting timeline link to solar thermal power…. www1.eere.energy.gov From Page 12…. All buildings will be built to combine energy-efficient design and construction practices and renewable energy technologies for a net-zero energy building. In effect, the building will conserve enough and produce its own energy supply to create a new generation of cost-effective buildings that have zero net annual need for non-renewable energy. – Photo Caption: This home was built by students from the University of Colorado (CU) for the first Solar Decathlon, a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Student teams are challenged to integrate aesthetics and modern conveniences with maximum energy production and optimal efficiency. Each collegiate team will build a uniquely designed 500-ft2 -- 800-ft2 house. Decathletes will transported their houses to the National Mall in Washington D.C. for the competition in the fall of 2002. The CU team took first prize in the competition overall. (Chris Gunn Photography / PIX12165) Photovoltaics research and development will continue intense interest in new materials, cell designs, and novel approaches to solar material and product development. It is a future where the clothes you wear and your mode of transportation can produce power that is clean and safe. Technology roadmaps for the future outline the research and development path to full competitiveness of concentrating solar power (CSP) with conventional power generation technologies within a decade. The potential of solar power in the Southwest United States is comparable in scale to the hydropower resource of the Northwest. A desert area 10 miles by 15 miles could provide 20,000 megawatts of power, while the electricity needs of the entire United States could theoretically be met by a photovoltaic array within an area 100 miles on a side. Concentrating solar power, or solar thermal electricity, could harness the sun’s heat energy to provide large-scale, domestically secure, and environmentally friendly electricity. – Photo Caption: This is the world’s largest solar power facility, located near Kramer Junction, CA. The facility consists of five Solar Electric Generating Stations (SEGS), with a combined capacity of 150 megawatts. At capacity, that is enough power for 150,000 homes. The facility covers more than 1000 acres, with over 1 million square meters of collector surface. (Kramer Junction Company / PIX11070) The price of photovoltaic power will be competitive with traditional sources of electricity within 10 years. Solar electricity will be used to electrolyze water, producing hydrogen for fuel cells for transportation and buildings. – Photo Caption: SunLine, a California transit agency, is being evaluated as they add state-of-the-art hydrogen fuel cell buses to their fleets and set up infrastructure facilities for fueling and maintenance. The hydrogen is produced at the site using solar-powered electrolysis and natural gas reforming. Because fuel cell buses aren’t yet commercially available, these demonstration projects are used to better understand the technology and plan for the future. (Richard Parish / PIX10732)

To: KLP who wrote (290494)	2/1/2009 4:06:37 PM
From: ManyMoose	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 794268

It's hard for me to visualize how a tethered satellite could be employed to transmit the generated power to earth. Wouldn't a tether have innumerable environmental consequences? If there is a way to beam the energy to earth, wouldn't that have consequences?

To: KLP who wrote (290494)	2/1/2009 4:27:43 PM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 794268

By Ben Bova I like Ben. He took over as editor of "Astounding SF" after Campbell died. If this is a good idea, let's do it Heinlein's way. lindybill@themanwhosoldthemoon.com

To: KLP who wrote (290494)	2/2/2009 9:05:28 AM
From: DMaA	1 Recommendation Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 794268

My sister-in-law's sister used to work at a large energy "think tank" (in some drone administrative capacity at a six figure salary). I remember talking to her at Christmas one year (20 years ago?). I asked her if they had studied solar power satellites, seemed like a good idea to me. I'll never forget the look of amused contempt she shot me. She immediately changed the subject. Later I understood that her "think tank" was just a lobbying org to extract Federal tax dollars to build coal plants.