Comments on: Solar baseload update

By: World of Kung fu money

World of Kung fu money — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:37:07 +0000

good site

By: rappelz rupees

rappelz rupees — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:23:19 +0000

I like to do everything

By: mmorpg

mmorpg — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:41:17 +0000

USA definitely needs to get on board more with this.

By: ragnarok zeny

ragnarok zeny — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:58:20 +0000

it is good

By: club penguin

club penguin — Sat, 16 May 2009 05:46:06 +0000

I have over half my light blubs changed to flourscent, its very easy to make a difference. Have you forwarded your work and ideas to Obama’s contact people ?

By: Chris Burrell

Chris Burrell — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 04:57:07 +0000

In response to the blog statement: ‘It’s a shame we don’t yet have our brightest engineers cranking away at our world class universities telling us what is possible”.

On the contrary this has been underway for sometime not only in United States but all over the world including it’s closest allies in Australia and New Zealand – members of the ANZUS treaty alliance and parties to specific free trade agreements who are working together assiduously to develop credible & reliable solutions. See http://www.flinders.com.au/ index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=221&Itemid=34 and http://www.solarpaces.org/Library/NewDocs.htm

Solutions that not only can facilitate the transition to lighter, cleaner, safer manufacturing processes & energy sources but the transformation generally to being “mature civil societies” that are at least as environmentally, economically and socially advanced & responsible as the technology we aspire to implement. In the history of the planet and as a species we are standing on the cusp of extinction or a quantum leap forward in our evolution as sentient beings, the “beginning of the end” or the “beginning of a new era”, apoplexy of epiphany? I vote for the latter – will you join me?

We can (yes, we can) transcend our origins of self-interest, jingoistic territorialism and parochial prejudice (racial, religious or otherwise) and expand ourselves to unite as one with a ‘common dream’ of hope & wisdom in the face of a ‘common threat’ to our world’s ultimate survival.

BTW – “we” are the greatest threat. Be a part of the solution not the problem. It starts with us personally – “If it is to be, it is up to me”. This is a call to all good men to come forward, organize themselves into worldwide & workable communities (of enlightenment) and take strong, responsible and strategic action locally. The internet is a perfect vehicle for such an exchange of ideas & actions such as is occurring in this blog, on this site right now. Get involved – I recommend http://www.ucsusa.org , http://www.greenforall.org and http://www.auroraaustralis.net.au . Can you ad to this list?

By: lovewow

lovewow — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:54:54 +0000

Wish we could push through some government funding for a comprehensive analysis such as done by Gregor Czisch at Kassel University which looked at years worth of historical electrical use for Europe along with wind and solar data to show that 100% renewable is feasible. T

By: wowgold

wowgold — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:31:30 +0000

yes, solar thermal energy is back in vogue. Especially in the US and spain. I was reading somewhere that Spain has plans for up to 60 of these plants

By: Total Solar Energy

Total Solar Energy — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 09:52:07 +0000

Yes, solar thermal energy is back in vogue. Especially in the US and spain. I was reading somewhere that Spain has plans for up to 60 of these plants

By: dwight

dwight — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:50:39 +0000

One question: Do the cost estimates of CSP include the cost of cooling water for the generators? In a visit to the CSP plant in Kramer Junction, CA the operator pointed out that they purchase their cooling water from the Colorado River (i.e. buy it from Los Angeles). It seems that as more CSP is installed, the very limited water supplies in the regions where CSP is efficient might limit how much power we can provide this way. Obviously conventional power plants in the same areas could be taken off line to free up water for the CSP, but because of the comparatively low operating temperature of the CSP turbines vs. natural gas plants, the amount of cooling water per kWh will increase in an all CSP plan.

I have heard that these systems can run without evaporative cooling, but I’m not clear of any details about this. Presumably this would involve an air cooling system that would raise the upfront capital cost of the system.

I don’t think these issues are deal breakers, but I would like to know that they are being considered and in what way.