PV Gap

Amber Said:

Wind and Solar Power Question?

We Answered:

No matter how it is done, wind power cannot be as efficient as solar power - in the sense that wind power is already second-hand solar power.
That said, though, the ''efficiency'' of either of these systems is a bit difficult to quantify properly.
Typically, an engineer might look at them in terms of ergs per square meter of land used - - and location and local climate will have a huge impact on these.

Cost - variable... for either. Both can be achieved with relatively minimal costs (depending upon exactly what effect is desired) - both can be scaled up quite a ways before issues arise.

Technical limits... a bit like costs - it varies - and depends what you are trying to achieve. If you want to pump water from a well in Oaklahoma or heat water for a swimming pool in Arizona - then wind and solar power respectively will require very little in the way technology beyond what we may already have. The real limiting factor is energy *storage* and transmission.

Environmental impact - - solar energy likely has the advantage here. Solar power cells can be installed upon the roof of your house or office building without having any significant effect upon the local environment. A windmill out on your yard could be a nuisance for your neighbors....

YMMV

Marcia Said:

how is geothermal energy, wind power, solar power, and ocean energy better than clean coal?

We Answered:

Clean coal, while being cleaner than normal coal, is not clean at all. It certainly is nowhere near as clean at geothermal, wind, solar, and ocean energy.

It is also nonrenewable. We will run out of coal one day. We won't run out of wind, solar, geothermal, or ocean energy.