“So, off the top of my head; in order to generate enough power to be equivalent to a nuke plant, you would need an area that is almost 20 miles by 20 miles of solar panels.”
Not quite... You’re off by a factor of ten. It’s 40 sq miles not 400. So an area roughly 6x7 miles. Still a big area for the equivalent of one nuke.
“Re: the thermal solar comment; feel free to do a search for the Ivanpah Solar Plant in California, just South of Primm (Stateline) NV.”
I’ve been by there several times on my way to Vegas. Stopped once and walked near the mirrors to take a close look. I was hoping they had a visitor center and a tour of the plants...
I’m a nuclear engineer, but I’m for all the above when it comes to energy production. Anything that works and is safe enough is fine with me. Let the market decide. In California the price of conventional electricity has gotten high enough and the price of solar low enough that now solar is cheaper. So I’m contemplating going solar, that’ll more or less fix the cost for the next twenty years, whereas PG&E just keeps climbing - 15% the last two years alone.
But how much of that increase each year from PG&E is from operating costs which include the ridiculous things yours and their taxes are paying for brought on by the Kalifornja legislature? Are you considering that every panel will need to be replaced in 10 years or less and that the actual generation will diminish progressively until they die altogether?
Just how in the H are they going to regulate cattle farts outside of just killing them off? Nevermind all of the deer, elk, bear and even domesticated animal farts, or how to know the difference.