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Torresol’s Gemasolar power-tower installation has become the world's first concentrating solar power (CSP) plant to feed an uninterrupted supply of electricity into the grid over 24 hours.  

This has been made possible by storing solar energy in molten salt, a cutting-edge thermal-transfer technology developed by SENER. The system is capable of fifteen hours of electricity production without solar radiation which overcomes fluctuations in the energy supply.

 

http://www.solarpowerengineeri...errupted-production/

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Wow incredible.  Spain has spent the last 10 years bankrupting itself.  Now they have a unemployment rate over 20% but they can product solar power at only 4 times the cost of coal.  Just think your $250 utility bill will only run you $1000.  We've seen these stories for going on 40 years.  They should figure out a way to harvest and the convert the idealism and naivety from leftists who want to save the world a the expense of the common people.

Come see where these people like Dittohead and Obama want to take us

The internal report of the Spanish administration admits that the price of electricity has gone up, as well as the debt, due to the extra costs of solar and wind energy. Even the government numbers indicate that each green job created costs more than 2.2 traditional jobs, as was shown in the report of the Juan de Mariana Institute. Besides that, the official document is almost a copy point by point of the one that led to Calzada being denounced [lit. "vetoed"] by the Spanish Embassy in an act in the U.S. Congress.

The presentation recognizes explicitly that “the increase of the electric bill is principally due to the cost of renewable energies.” In fact, the increase in the extra costs of this industry explains more than 120% of the variation in the bill and has prevented the reduction in the costs of conventional electricity production to be reflected on the bills of the citizens.

 

http://www.qando.net/?p=8481

The luddites have spoken. 

Yes, green jobs will replace old school jobs.  With solar, I dont need to hire coal miners, or train operators to transport the coal, or the 100's of mechanics it takes to keep a coal plant running, or EPA inspectors to monitor the waste stream.  The labor required will be 1/20 of that for coal.  Probably 1/100 of that for nuclear.

Originally Posted by Mr.Dittohead:

The luddites have spoken. 

Yes, green jobs will replace old school jobs.  With solar, I dont need to hire coal miners, or train operators to transport the coal, or the 100's of mechanics it takes to keep a coal plant running, or EPA inspectors to monitor the waste stream.  The labor required will be 1/20 of that for coal.  Probably 1/100 of that for nuclear.


Coal miners have nothing to fear, China and India will gladly buy our reserves if we choose not to use it.

Poor old Ditzy speaks of Luddites, wheh he is an original member of that society.

 

First, the plant is only good in summer.  it might have practical applications in desert communities and seasonal resorts.  But, at the present level of production, not practical otherwise.

 

As to labor, the plant does require labor, not just mechanics, engineers and operators, but teams to polish those mirrors.  A bit of a dust storm, and their efficiency drops significantly. 

In the long run, solar energy will become even more efficient as we learn better ways to harness the suns energy. It will eventually replace coal, nuclear, and other means of generating power. Maybe not now, maybe not in one hundred years, but given that if we could harness the energy the sun outputs in 1 second, we could power the whole planet for 10 years I for one think we are heading in the right direction with this technology. I'm sure it was expensive in the beginning for other means of energy harvesting, but time and experience with them have helped to bring the cost down. 

Originally Posted by Mr.Dittohead:

Luddites dont appreciate nor even understand that technological innovation doesnt happen without slow and concerted effort.  Whether its stem cell research, or particle physics, the further understanding and exploitation of our world will ultimately benefit  us all.


Working in a high tech field, I can appreciate advances in technology.  I can assure Ditz, my decades of power industry service and accumulated knowledge will always trump his "hope and change" attitude, because I actually understand what it actually take to make a megawatt.  Ditz doesn't really know and neither do I what tech advances will be made in the next 200 years.  I do know this for a fact, we won't be powering this country anytime soon solely on solar and wind.

Originally Posted by Mr.Dittohead:

Luddites dont appreciate nor even understand that technological innovation doesnt happen without slow and concerted effort.  Whether its stem cell research, or particle physics, the further understanding and exploitation of our world will ultimately benefit  us all.

I think the luddite shoe is on the other foot now.

 

Luddites reject modern technology that is working.

 

Show us how all this "green energy" stuff is working on an economically competitive basis, and I'll buy in.

 

If the technology doesn't work very well, and is not cost-effective, but you insist on it, then you're a  luddite. 

Last edited by Winston Niles Rumfoord

Accepting "early adopter" status for programs that bankrupt a family, a state, or a nation doesn't further economic or social advancement.  Therefore, cultural advancement will not advance, either.  When a people are struggling to survive an idiotic decision from on high, culture is the first thing jettisoned.   

 

Spain is tettering on the brink of bankruptcy. 

Last edited by interventor1212

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