Oh the potential of solar

[sparky]

It may take at least 10 years of intensive research and development to reduce the cost of solar energy to levels competitive with petroleum, an expert warned today.

"Solar can potentially provide all the electricity and fuel we need to power the planet," Professor Harry Gray told the 235th national meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in New Orleans.

Channel 4 - News - Solar energy 'could power world'

Seems to sum up solar for me. Sooo much potential at the moment but not quite there yet.

[Deathridesahorse]

Originally Posted by sparky

It may take at least 10 years of intensive research and development to reduce the cost of solar energy to levels competitive with petroleum, an expert warned today.

"Solar can potentially provide all the electricity and fuel we need to power the planet," Professor Harry Gray told the 235th national meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in New Orleans.

Channel 4 - News - Solar energy 'could power world'

Seems to sum up solar for me. Sooo much potential at the moment but not quite there yet.

I am of the opinion that "they" are trying to tell "us" to go back to sleep.

We have consumer and voter power.

Where do your tax dollars go?

*Angry yet?!?*

[hoon]

It will get there eventually, with or without state help.

[oztrailrider]

Another interesting article along the same lines:

The technology that will save humanity

[greenacy]

The professor cited the vast potential of solar energy, noting that more energy from sunlight strikes the Earth in one hour than all of the energy consumed on the planet in one year.

That is a lot of energy. However, we don't have the entire surface of the earth covered with solar panels or the batteries required to hold the charge. Near the equator it is great option but the farther you get to the polls the harder solar power is to make effective. It is a great way to take the burden off of fossil fuels and nuclear but it won't 100% replace our need for energy by itself.

I'm not shooting down solar power I love it I just don't see it realistically pull all of the earth's energy needs alone without a significant increase in our capture and storage abilities.

[LMagic007]

I think the professor might have been speaking conceptually. However relying on just one energy technology clearly would not be practical. No doubt though as costs for solar technologies fall , their application will likely increase in nations where they are best suited.

It's a bit like the 92 mile squared solar theory to power all of the United States. It's nice to know because it gives you an idea of the scope and scale of the technologies from a theoretical standpoint, which helps to appreciate the overall potential. Variability of renewable energy supply dictates a requirement to have a balanced mix of technology, even though its evident that Solar Thermal with storage might approach the higher capacity factors of coal when implemented appropriately.

A more reliable long term mix say for the USA and Australia might be perhaps say 50% solar thermal and solar PV, 20% wind, 20% bio-fuels, 10% fossil fuels to help balance the grids. Sufficient thermal storage can improve a CSP plants grid contribution stability. Again though that mix would depend on each nations situation. Clearly some nations might be more heavily dependant on fossil fuels and thus be better suited to a different mix ratio.

See NRELs views on Solar Thermal energy and baseload potential;

As the cost of thermal storage is reduced, future parabolic trough plants could yield capacity factors greater than 70%, competing directly with future baseload combined cycle plants or coal plants.

NREL: TroughNet - Parabolic Trough Power Plant Market, Economic Assessment and Deployment

Either way solar thermal in general has significant potential.

[Windguy]

This is an interesting thought, mirrors are a hell of a lot cheaper than solar panels and more efficient too, so for the poor, the government can set up a boiling towers/electricity generators, and people can just buy mirrors instead of covering their houses in solar panels. So we all become shareholders that reduce our electricity bill.