Solar Power when the sun goes down......

[Ichingcarpenter]

The holy grail of renewable energy is a solar power plant that continues producing electricity after the sun goes down.

A Santa Monica, Calif., company called SolarReserve has taken a step toward making that a reality, filing an application with California regulators to build a 150-megawatt solar farm that will store seven hours’ worth of the sun’s energy in the form of molten salt.

Heat from the salt can be released when it’s cloudy or at night to create steam that drives an electricity-generating turbine.

The Rice Solar Energy Project, to be built in the Sonoran Desert east of Palm Springs, will “generate steady and uninterrupted power during hours of peak electricity demand,” according to SolarReserve’s license application.

SolarReserve is literally run by rocket scientists, many of whom formerly worked at Rocketdyne, a subsidiary of the technology giant United Technologies. Rocketdyne developed the solar salt technology, which was proven viable at the 10-megawatt Solar Two demonstration project near Barstow, Calif., in the 1990s.


.........SNIP..........




An artist’s rendering of such a solar plant is shown here.

http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/solar-powe...

[krispos42]

1. Hot.

And pretty cool-looking, too.

[dkf]

2. Now if they could figure out how to make that work for individuals I'd be all over it.

But the last thing I would like is for us to be dependent on some money making entity for our energy.

[Dead_Parrot]

3. Out of interest...

...how many forms of energy can you think of that don't involve being dependent on a money making entity? I guess there's gathering small sticks for firewood (thereby avoiding the iron clutches of Big Axe & those evil bastards over at Stihl) but I think that's about it.

I guess you could take up flint knapping as a hobby...

[dkf]

4. My plan is to buy my own solar panels and store excess energy somehow.

Heck, our solar heater got installed and changed once in 30 years and it just goes and goes and goes. We love it!

[Dead_Parrot]

5. So, to avoid being dependant on a money making entity for energy...

...you buy energy equipment from a money making entity. And plan to do more of the same.

I suspect one of us is missing something here...

[dkf]

6. Its the difference between a durable good and a consumer good.

A durable good needs to be purchased maybe a few times in your life, while a consumer good needs to be purchased on a regular ongoing basis.

[Dead_Parrot]

7. Ahh, right.

So it's OK if you don't have to pay them too often

Out of interest, what's the cut-off? five years?

[dkf]

15. Who knows.

Its also like the difference between fixing your roof and paying a mortgage. See?

[wuvuj]

18. So...when will they...the ignorant...

...REQUIRE two way meters at every residence and business...and legislate to R&D and subsidize usable on site ways to generate electricity (solar-wind) or harness solar and geothermal for heating? Not to mention energy saving.

3 billion for the power grid....66 billion for one war? Yea...I'd brag about that one....

If the help goes to individuals...it's a crime...if BILLIONS go to the big corps...it's heaven on earth?

[NecklyTyler]

8. Being self sufficient in energy is boarder line on a full time job

[Dead_Parrot]

9. But look how happy he is!

There's a man not beholden to Big Axe, Big Solar, Big Coal or Big Nuke.

Although I suspect he may have a run in with Big Osteopathy in the near future.

[wuvuj]

10. So why the series of pointless..

...and close to irrelevant comments? Can't figure out basic points/issues for yourselves?

Misinformation/disinformation?

[phantom power]

11. what, you mean we're not clapping hard enough?

[wolfgangmo]

13. It's like verbal masturbation.

They just can't help themselves. They enjoy making fun of nit picking points because that allows them to ignore the fact that they have jerked and tugged so often they have chaffed a layer of callousness onto themselves.

[wuvuj]

17. You mean they can't get it off?

...

[wolfgangmo]

12. I've heard a rumor that there is a Canadian company that may have a solution

They've apparently refined solar voltaic panels and increased efficiency so that they work well even in the dead of winter in northern Canada and even covered by up to a foot of snow. No news on a release date or if they are still playing around with patents etc. but if that is true then the true north will take a huge step ahead in the personal solar power game.

[OKIsItJustMe]

16. OK, how about this?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Ichingcarpenter]

14. No man is an island and I like my street lights in my town,

around our fountains, parks and public places that need public energy solutions.

I thought this design solution was cool but the thread got highjacked.

Sometimes it does take a rocket scientist.

[OKIsItJustMe]

19. The amazing thing is it's taken us this long to get serious about it

Solar 2 is ~15 years old.

http://www.sandia.gov/media/solarll.htm
http://www.nrel.gov/csp/troughnet/pdfs/2007/rogers_molt...

[Ichingcarpenter]

20. The Pay Day........ will be something we can all

Collect on,

if we play it smart.

Change is constant
but difficult for most.

Love your posts

[OKIsItJustMe]

21. Thanks

(At least someone does…)