Ethanol Versus Solar Energy »

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  simonsez1 year, 7 months ago

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  I'm not sure I understand where this story wants to go. We use solar for electricity, ethanol for fuel.

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    amazed1 year, 7 months ago

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    not really, because tied into the solar panels would be battery and capacitor storage cell. If there were to be a long period of no sun, there would be a problem, but if you were to combine solar panels with wind farms, the supply would even itself out considerably -- all with little or no carbon footprint.

    As far as the "use solar for electricity, ethanol for fuel", hybrid and even totally electric cars are getting more and more efficient and cost effective each day, making electricity ALSO our fuel for vehicles.

    Clean coal technology, while not carbon neutral, is vastly improved over even several years ago and we (the U.S) are the Saudi Arabia of coal.

    Ethanol, clearly, is a huge loser.

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  chevydog1 year, 7 months ago

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  There is a price for doing anything -- even "good" stuff -- which bioethanol was until the last 1-2 years. Two problems that I see: (1) who pays the price; and (2) what is a price to one person may not be one to another. That brings politics into it.

  I would point out that this article seems to grossly overstate the efficiency of solar panels. Most of the numbers I've seen are 2-3%, as opposed to the article's "normal" 20%. Also, it is not easy to store electricity. Yes it's possible. But anyone who had seen the capacitor banks necessary to even start a 150 hp motor would not say easy.

  Technology advances are possible and probably will happen. But I don't know whether it would be prudent to expect advances of the magnitude that this article seems to assume.

  IMHO, nuclear for electric and coal conversion for portable liquid fuel offer the best opportunities.

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  crghss1 year, 7 months ago

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  Useless argument. Why would there be less profit from solar? Electricity is Electricity, doesn't matter how you generate it you still pay the same for it. More gibberish from nutscape.

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  jumpmaster1 year, 7 months ago

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  "Could it be that because solar energy is "free""

  What is free about it? A five square foot photovoltaic panel costs about $900. You need about 100 of these to run your house. What is free about that?

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    nostalgia1 year, 7 months ago

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    Apparently Texas Instruments and Southern Cal Edison thought there was money to be made in the solar field over a decade ago

    April 15 1991

    Edison, Texas Instruments debut cut-rate solar power technology

    Southern California Edison Co. and partner Texas Instruments Inc. called their nascent solar technology a "breakthrough."

    The companies had worked on the high-tech project quietly for the last six years.

    http://www.allbusiness.com/north-america/united...

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