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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Alighieri who wrote (616718)6/20/2011 1:51:13 PM
From: i-node1 Recommendation  Read Replies (3) | Respond to of 1575421
 
>> LOL...so you can't be specific but you are offended by the way they look?

I have been, but we've strayed way off the original topic here, i.e., contrasting solar with fracking.

Fracking, as does any drilling, has an environmental downside. But the BIG claim against fracking (contamination of water tables) is simply not supported by the science. For the amount of energy you get out of fracking, it probably is a better ecological value than solar. And it certainly is better on a cost per per kW basis.

Solar, which has been deemed a 'green" solution to energy problems, has its own problems. For example, the Mojave project which supplies 500MW (small city) for a fraction of a day, occupies 6,000 acres. Not only does it totally disrupt that 6,000 acres ecologically, the potential for exposure to toxics is significant over time.

If you're talking about home rooftop units, they're just a long way from making financial sense, and even if they did, they're a long way from implementation that is significant scale. And yes, the eyesore aspect is a strong ecological negative. But there also is the toxic chemical and disposal consideration.

I understand you're sold on home solar and that is your prerogative. Any wealthy person may choose to decorate his 5,000 s/f mansion with panels (in an effort to reduce the guilt level). But the average homeowner just isn't going to be interested.