For Solydra, once it went green, the government start-up money was never again seen.
If the liberals are wrong about the viability of solar power, as they lecture us about what we should do, what else are they wrong about? Could they also be wrong about global warming and banning plastic bags?
Really? Doubts?
It will power 140,000 homes, right? Except for the 67% of the time when the sun doesn’t shine or shine brightly enough.
And given 132,452,405 housing units in the U.S., it’d take only about 1,000 more of these 33% efficient plants covering 5,000 square miles of the U.S. at a cost of only two trillion dollars. All in all, quite doable. IF you are a “Progressive” who graduated in Lesbian Dance Theory and believe in the economic and scientific nature of Unicorn and Rainbow power.
There was a prototype “solar tower” at Sandia Labs that is not used any more.
There was a commercial plant near Bagdad, CA (or maybe Daggett), that was the same technology. It was not commercially viable and was mothballed.
And now a bigger one is being made!
One cool thing about the Solar One project near Bagdad was the pattern of light in the sky. As you drove down the road, this ethereal floating pattern of light would appear on the horizon. Very mysterious if you didn’t know it was a solar mirror farm.
I wonder what would happen to a bird or insect if it flew into the beam?
It’s always amazing to me that the dim-bulb-crats claim to be the party of science...but it’s their types that typically fail even the most elementary science classes and consequently pursue areas more matched to their weak intellect - like law, political “science”, sociology...womyn’s “studies”, advanced marshmallow eating....etc....etc.
Please, liberals, leave the complicated things to us, and you take care of serving burgers.
There was a smaller one build by palm springs with the same fan fare that is now abandoned.
They still haven’t declared their annual consumption of Windex or who has the mirror cleaning concession.
Also, it’s not nice to singe the feathers and ground any bird flying through the light beam, not to mention that the birds either die or can’t fly and slowly die after they’ve been scorched.
I find it so odd that people are surprised that a device that is basically designed like a solar cooker successfully cooks birds that fly over it. Duh!
Now, you could turn that fault into a feature if you launched plucked, batter-dipped chickens over the mirror array, and caught them in KFC buckets when they fell out of the sky.
All the same, I think this array should be the last of its kind.
...see who the major backers are...probably a slew of senators and congressmen....all out for the bailout..$$$$$$$
http://theguzzler.blogspot.com/2009/11/edison-demolishes-daggett-solar-tower.html
A pic of Solar One demolition (and a story about solar thermal power):
http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/ID/5538/Kalaeloa-Solar-Hawaii-Ratepayers-to-Bankroll-Green-Fiesta.aspx
PG&E tried this on the Carrissa Plains several years ago. Then dropped it.
I’ve wondered why this was attempted again, except to throw Other People’s Money away, as usual.
Holly Crap. Cost? And 140,000 homes? And during sunlight? What the hell 5 sq miles of land. This is a joke! One natural gas fired plant could do twice as much as this and day or night. These damn fools.
One short circuit and the whole damn thing blows up.
No mention of:
1. Total MW
2. Total cost before taxpayer subsidies
3. Total cost of infrastructure to connect it to the grid
4. Expected utilization rate
5. Expected cost per kwh
6. What power source it is displacing
7. Cost per kwh of power source it is displacing
8. Expected increase in cost per kwh to utility rate payers
9. Political connections of those who profited and got the taxpayer subsidies.
10. Likelihood the taxpayer guaranteed loan will ever be paid back.
This article is just political propaganda. It is without substance.
It was true in the 70s, it was true in the 90s, its true now and it will be true 20 years from now: the ONLY way you make money in a solar deal is through state subsidies and tax credits, period.
If you go to Google Maps, and look for:
“Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating”
Your jaw will drop. This is insane.
We use these folks for our electric here in a small rv park. Rates are .31 per kw. Last months electric bill for our 36 ft motor coach was $ 622. Somebody is making a couple bucks. You can see the towers from our place 11 miles away
More targets for terrorists.
I have said it before and I will say it again. The greatest danger to the Economy and Security of the United States is the Environmental Lobby and the politicians they buy.
This is what happens when elite liberal “climate scientists” run the DOE. Another $1.6 billion cluster-blank.