New Solar Power Project NIMBY

[BestTimesNow]

Solar Projects Draw New Opposition

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/bu...sinessspecial2

[include]

How can anyone object to solar??

[Kaabi]

I can't believe those people are opposing this. Solar energy is one of the most promising renewable energy sources, and now there are people fighting it! I know it's an issue of land, but still, it's crazy.

[paul120]

Cool link really..thnks for posting it..

[LMagic007]

Their point is;

We support renewable energy, and we support California’s renewable energy targets, but we think it can be done through rooftop solar.”

However the counter argument is;

At the current rate of adding 200 megawatts of rooftop solar power a year, it would take 100 years to meet the 20 percent renewable target that California must meet by 2010, Mr. Zichella said. “What they are proposing is not a solution at all.”

Currently available commercial photovoltaic technology converts sunlight to electricity at an efficiency rate of 12 percent to 14 percent. (The most efficient power plants can achieve efficiencies of nearly 60 percent.)

Resistance invariably comes with change. The important thing is that the appropriate environmental studies are completed before construction goes ahead, so that can be weighed against the broader issues at stake in regard to Climate Change. Hopefully any environmental impact can be minimized, by design appropriate to the local setting.