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Solar Industry Learns Lessons in Spanish Sun
New York Times ^
| March 8, 2010
| Elisabeth Rosenthal
Posted on 03/09/2010 3:11:54 AM PST by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1
Why are they limiting solar power, when the sun is unlimited?
Because money isn't....
2
posted on
03/09/2010 3:13:34 AM PST
by
Kozak
(USA 7/4/1776 to 1/20/2009 Reqiescat in Pace)
To: Kozak
That’s really it. Solar is pretty good as far as alternatives go but it generally isn’t cost effective and it isn’t efficient everywhere.
3
posted on
03/09/2010 3:18:25 AM PST
by
cripplecreek
(Remember the River Raisin!)
To: reaganaut1
Going green means a scam...
To: reaganaut1
At this point in time, only the greedy or the dense are for solar electricity en masse.
5
posted on
03/09/2010 3:20:42 AM PST
by
qwertypie
To: cripplecreek
Solar is a nice booster (especially in places like Texas during the summer when power demand is high due to air conditioning and it pretty much never gets cloudy) but it’s not something you should rely on as a main power source.
The best (theoretical) setup I’ve seen is actual photovoltaics on a home roof, charging up a battery or ultracapacitor array, which the home’s climate control can draw against in addition to power coming in, with the photovoltaics coming from Nanosolar (who has figured out a way to make really cheap ones).
6
posted on
03/09/2010 3:24:51 AM PST
by
Spktyr
(Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
To: qwertypie
7
posted on
03/09/2010 3:26:41 AM PST
by
Arthur Wildfire! March
(ONLINE TAX REVOLT 150,000 AND GROWING. http://www.onlinetaxrevolt.com)
To: Spktyr
I’ve got “michigan solar” which means lots of low E glass on the south side.
8
posted on
03/09/2010 3:28:28 AM PST
by
cripplecreek
(Remember the River Raisin!)
To: reaganaut1
Whilst I generally agree with the articles conclusions about the unfavorable economics of solar energy at present, the NYT writer seems to be perpetually mired in a myopic world where government “policy”, subsidies, and incentives are the make-or-break variables, not good old fashioned profits and the economics of competition. I guess it's hard to change course when you've been the leading cheer leading paper for socialism in the free world for over seventy years.
9
posted on
03/09/2010 3:39:37 AM PST
by
SpaceBar
To: reaganaut1
the city set out to replace its failing coal economyFailing per government mandate. First they starve the people out then they subsidize them.
That people cannot see the relationship is a testament to the effectiveness of government schooling.
10
posted on
03/09/2010 3:50:56 AM PST
by
1010RD
(First Do No Harm)
To: SpaceBar
Many things are technically feasible which aren't economically feasible.
To: reaganaut1
12
posted on
03/09/2010 4:19:16 AM PST
by
4Speed
To: reaganaut1
To the extent that these technologies can be used in rural pockets to either supplement or defer the extension of costly cross country transmission facilities they certainly have reached an efficiency level to play a part.
But those that expect to stick up windmills, lay out some panels without regard, as Spain apparently did, to technology quality and efficiency, and eschew the 'grid', will be, some time to come, disappointed.
13
posted on
03/09/2010 4:22:29 AM PST
by
n230099
To: reaganaut1
Sacramento, CA is actually a good place for solar power for one reason: enough cloudless days in summer to make solar panels reasonably viable (I see a lot of houses in nearby Davis, CA with solar panels on the roof). This isn’t like the Bay Area, where the low clouds and rolling fog in the summer can cut the efficiency of solar panels quite a bit.
14
posted on
03/09/2010 4:46:17 AM PST
by
RayChuang88
(FairTax: America's economic cure)
To: reaganaut1
You mean....the govt can’t just “create” green jobs by law?
15
posted on
03/09/2010 5:11:08 AM PST
by
Travis McGee
(---www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com---)
To: n230099
A big problem with solar is storage batteries - a huge expense, and an ongoing one. I still have trouble imagining running a 230 volt clothes dryer on solar...
Build nuclear power plants and let the Navy and the Marines run them. Reliability and security guaranteed! End of problem.
16
posted on
03/09/2010 5:19:21 AM PST
by
Huebolt
(Democrat = (national socialist) = NAZI)
To: reaganaut1
when the sun is unlimited?.....
In my corner of the world, the sun sets, for example, disappears for 12 hours a day.....the sun is not unlimited!!!
17
posted on
03/09/2010 5:27:39 AM PST
by
thinking
To: Spktyr
It's nice until you get one of those famous roof destroying hail storms that seem to hit West, Central, and North Texas about twice a year.
Then it's bye-bye green rooftop PV system. I had one that badly damaged a supplemental hot water system I had on my home in Granbury in the 80's. The insurance did not cover it.
18
posted on
03/09/2010 6:05:57 AM PST
by
nuke rocketeer
(File CONGRESS.SYS corrupted: Re-boot Washington D.C (Y/N)?)
To: Huebolt
The Marines do not know squat about running commercial nuclear plants and it usually takes the Navy boys a few years to adjust properly from the government to the commercial world. probably 60-70%, if not more, of the management and at least 40-50% of the engineering/technical staff at US commercial nuclear plants are ex Navy already.
We don't need Marines for security at them either. Nukes are very hard targets. If you don't believe me, go try breaking into one.
19
posted on
03/09/2010 6:10:40 AM PST
by
nuke rocketeer
(File CONGRESS.SYS corrupted: Re-boot Washington D.C (Y/N)?)
To: nuke rocketeer
Ahh! Already solved then!
20
posted on
03/09/2010 6:23:23 AM PST
by
Huebolt
(Democrat = (national socialist) = NAZI)
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