Beam me to Planet Gore !
Roy Spencer, the Official Climatologist of the EIB Network
Posted on 02/13/2008 10:33:02 PM PST by newbie2008
ABOUT THE LECTURE: It took a crisis to shift Roger Angel’s gaze from the stars back to Earth, but we may all benefit from his full attention, locked as it is on helping crack the problem of global warming.
Angel’s expertise lies with telescopes and astronomy, so it seems fitting that he views the sun as our greatest hope in reducing dependence on fossil fuels. His first efforts focused on geo-engineering a way out of warming, by either pumping sulfur aerosols into the stratosphere, or constructing a giant sunshade, to block the sun’s impact. He figured these fixes could work relatively quickly, but might deliver negative side effects, and in the case of the giant space screen, cost in the trillions. Regarding this orbiting sun deflector, Angel tells us that “the present administration of NASA thinks it’s stupid” and won’t fund it. So he has been exploring alternative solutions.
One idea was to create a necklace of satellites in geosynchronous orbit around the Earth that could collect the undiluted energy of sunlight, convert it to microwaves, and then beam it back home. To generate 3000 gigawatts of electrical power, we would need 600 of these satellites. This idea proved very expensive, due to the launch weight of each of the space solar power stations – upwards of 70 thousand tons. Until space travel and construction become routine, this idea can’t fly, believes Angel.
He’s far more optimistic about the development of massive, ground-based solar arrays, planted on hundreds of square miles in the desert. In the U.S., this means Angel’s own backyard, in Arizona, and other states along the border with Mexico. He sees these solar collection farms operating year-round, and transmitting electricity via intercontinental transmission lines to the coasts of the nation. Angel says this form of transmission is a proven and relatively inexpensive technology. He suggests using Lake Mead or other western waters as giant hydroelectric storage facilities. He is devising a prototype photovoltaic array using an abandoned PBS communication dish, and in his university workshop milling mirrors that are intended to concentrate the light of sunshine by a factor of 1000. In the Southwest, Angel says, “there is enough sunshine on a couple hundred miles square to feed the whole nation."
Sorry no can do. There are dozens of possibly endangered species of animal life these solar arrays would harm their movement and habitat.
If it were economically practical to do, it would already be under way. Good luck raising the cash to pave over hundreds of miles of desert with high-tech manufactured goods... and mind the environmentalist sabotage in protest of you changing the planet’s albedo.
“...locked as it is on helping crack the problem of global warming”
Stopped there.
That is an inconvenient truth.
Maybe if we elect Obama on top of the trillion plus dollars he's promising to spend already he could spend another trillion dollars on solar powered trucks and manufacturing facilities to produce and transport these arrays.
Bio-fuel is already the most efficient way to collect solar energy, and you can put it in your gas tank. The only reason we have to worry about alternative energy anyway is so Al Gore can get rich frightening grade schoolers into thinking the world is ending.
Notice how all his “solutions” will involve large coordinated and funded government projects. Heaven forbid if “joe 6 pack” decides to build a solar water collector and a solar voltaic system in his back yard without proper government funding.
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/IBD-0001-23005661.htm
Solar Stocks Lead As Major Indexes Lodge Big Gains February 13, 2008: 08:05 PM EST
A few of these (funds) in the portfolio, could be a good thing?
Could Green be what's soon to drive Wall Street compared to when investors bought Internet stocks, just because they were part of, void of profit? Green Collar workers designated a new class of worker. Now with cities and states adopting green policies (light bulb law in my state soon, bulb recycle centers in local hardware stores now) Washington is pushing financial perks (Energy Star one of the first home remodel- IRS) for use of green energy-and entrephreneurs are exhaling methane hot and heavy.
Timothy Carney: How many lobbyists does it take to change a light bulb?-- Sylvania is the leading light bulb maker worldwide, and GE is tops in America. These two companies, together with Dutch-based Royal Phillips Electronics, concede they basically wrote the new light bulb law. It goes without saying that they stand to profit from it
Re: Nanosolar
Solar Energy Ping, <>D
What a load of stool.
One idea was to create a necklace of satellites in geosynchronous orbit around the Earth that could collect the undiluted energy of sunlight, convert it to microwaves, and then beam it back home.
This is the sort of thing that can cause global warming, since it would capture energy that would otherwise not hit the Earth.
Al Gore,
modern day snake oil salesman
well apparently the sun produces each day 7000 times the worlds current energy requirement. of course the issue is collecting it. as it happens solar panels are actually more efficient then plants at converting to energy, hard as that maybe to believe...but as raised here the issue is the willingness/the cost/ the viability of building such an array...
Fixed it.
Problem is that the great majority of Americans don’t want a switch from fossil fuels. They truly enjoy the dependence the US has on outside nations.
Do a search on Ethanol, Bio Fuels or any alternative to fossil fuels here at FR.
Not at all. There would be problems in producing and and maintainance and construction for sure, but there are problems in producing and maintaining and constructing any kind of power station, and I would hazard the problems with nuclear are somewhat more challenging.
Not at all. There would be problems in producing and and maintainance and construction for sure, but there are problems in producing and maintaining and constructing any kind of power station, and I would hazard the problems with nuclear are somewhat more challenging.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.