PV Gap

Tracey Said:

Why would we build any more nuclear power plants?

We Answered:

1. Yes, capital costs for nuclear are high. But fuel costs are very small. Expensive to build, but cheap to run.

2. Much of the capital cost penalty for nuclear is societal, not technological. In other words, avoidable with policy change.

3. There are no significant improvements on the horizon for concentrated solar. Each piece considered alone is already a mature technology. How much more efficient can you make a mirror? There may be improvements for PV, but that's more expensive than nuclear.

4. Nuclear receives more subsidies than renewables only on a gross basis. On a per-watt basis, renewables are subsidized many times more than nuclear.

5. Nuclear power has advantages that solar and wind do not, specifically near 100% availability.

6. Nuclear has a lower carbon footprint that solar, about as low as wind.

7. Coal burning is the worst, and I mean WORST contributor to global warming on the planet. Period. We still get 33% of our energy from coal, and there's a reason for that. It's RELIABLE and AVAILABLE. Yes, it's killing the planet. But that's not factored into its cost of use.

Currently, nuclear power is the only available source for reliable, available baseload electric generation that can realistically hope to replace coal within the next decade. Hydro is already fully subscribed. Solar, wind, and geothermal are regional and intermittant resources. That doesn't mean useless, it just means limited in scope. So yes, let's use wind and solar where we can. Where we can't, use nuclear.

Joyce Said:

What is the lowest cost-per-KW-capacity renewable technology?

We Answered:

wind power. solar power is slowly but surely getting there.
http://www.renewables-info.com/wind_ener…

Henry Said:

Is solar energy is responsible for global warming?

We Answered:

Yes, as it is solar energy that heats the earth.

However, using solar energy to produce electricity does not increase global warming. Contrary to your statement, most of the solar energy striking a field is not reflected. The soil and other things are heated. They give this back partly by reflection, but mostly by radiation and convection.

In a PV system, part of the sun's energy is reflected, part heats the PV panels and part is used to generate electricity.

When the electricity is used, this energy returns as heat.

Just as in the sun's energy strikes the field and is returned to the atmosphere, it does the same with PV system. The PV system does not create any energy.

Harold Said:

Do you think Australia can become energy independent?

We Answered:

i expect that, eventually, solar, and maybe wind, will predominate.
Australia has sufficient space for both.

Jay Said:

Why do people think that electricity from solar is the "solution" to global warming.?

We Answered:

Actually those who know better don't think it's the "total" solution, just part of it.

Solar power alone is not enough to satisfy our electricity consumption, we need additional green sources.

Practicality is more a measure of the costs to produce solar panels, as manufacturing costs come down, practicality goes up. You may see paint on solar panels soon, that would be a lot cheaper.

Maybe if they allowed 1/3 of the continental US to flood again this spring and built a dam they could get more power from hydro, otherwise, no new sources of Hydro. I.e. hydro power = flooding "somewhere".

Geothermal is not the answer, even though it is "green". Global warming is excess energy in the biosphere, geothermal would pump heat from the planet's core into the biosphere, doesn't help.

Next big untapped source is likely tidal and wave.

Warren Said:

Is solar energy responsible for global warming?

We Answered:

no

"they store energy from sun" False. They do not store energy, they convert it to electric power.

"Then they complete leaves energy to our environment" meaningless

The rest of your argument is specious.


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Daisy Said:

china'sproducing pollution, it is though investing in solar energy. what other counries are doing this?

We Answered:

China will bury the earth in waste and its OK because its not the US