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To: PeaceBeWithYou
This is crazy. Until solar cell technology improves, all the people of Arizona will get is overpriced electric power.

I'm convinced that the continental USA is simply too far north for solar energy to be practical. Go with coal and nuclear power. We have plenty of resources for both.

9 posted on 03/01/2008 3:48:23 AM PST by pnh102
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To: pnh102

I dont think this is about light, its about heat. If you take a magnifying glass and focus the suns heat into something that produces steam, and or you take a satellite dish and focus the sun at a specific point, you can generate large amount of heat. this is already used elsewhere and is proven to work. Also Arizona land and climate isnt really suited for growing crops.


10 posted on 03/01/2008 3:55:07 AM PST by mriguy67
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To: pnh102

I dont think this is about light, its about heat. If you take a magnifying glass and focus the suns heat into something that produces steam, and or you take a satellite dish and focus the sun at a specific point, you can generate large amount of heat. this is already used elsewhere and is proven to work. Also Arizona land and climate isnt really suited for growing crops.


13 posted on 03/01/2008 3:56:37 AM PST by mriguy67
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To: pnh102
I'm convinced that the continental USA is simply too far north for solar energy to be practical

Just this week there was a report by a professor that said that solar energy is not practical. It is too expensive.

The price stated for this land sounds excessive. If this is true, there must be huge government subsidies. Something is wrong.

34 posted on 03/01/2008 4:56:44 AM PST by Conservativegreatgrandma
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To: pnh102

This is not solar cell technology - it is concentration of sun’s radiation to heat water to steam to drive the turbines, much like using a lens to focus sun’s energy to a point - try it - you can easily light paper (at the focal point) on fire with a 2 or 3 inch magnifying lens.


44 posted on 03/01/2008 5:23:13 AM PST by GregoryFul
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To: pnh102
This is crazy. Until solar cell technology improves, all the people of Arizona will get is overpriced electric power.

This system, like most large scale solar proposals uses mirrors not solar cells. They capture and focus radiant heat to create steam to drive generators. I can assure you from past experience, it is very easy to boil water in the Arizona sun.

90 posted on 03/01/2008 7:41:22 AM PST by hinckley buzzard
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