Solar Stimulus

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
New York isn't exactly a searing desert. Is solar worth it that far north?

Yes, with the modern technology.

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Actually, solar is thriving despite the relative lack of subsidy. There are some small programs - nothing on the scale of what is propping nuclear up.

In the absence of subsidy, solar would do just fine. Nuclear on the other hand could not stand up in a free market. It is way too expensive. Amazing how often "conservatives" are willing to turn to government to fund their own bad-business choices.

The issue is who profits. As Dr. Helen Cauldicott pointed out, we would be entirely solar if private companies could wrap a blanket around the stratosphere and sell or rent holes.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
New York isn't exactly a searing desert. Is solar worth it that far north?

You don't need heat. All you need is sunlight. A solar device could work on the North Pole (in the summer, of course).

Originally posted by sh76
You don't need heat. All you need is sunlight. A solar device could work on the North Pole (in the summer, of course).

Are you sure? the concentration of solar energy is not good away from the equator, even in the summer.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Are you sure? the concentration of solar energy is not good away from the equator, even in the summer.

You're talking about the angle of the sun's rays, then; but I don't think that has much impact at New York's latitude. In the summer the days are longer in New York than they are on the equator, so it kind of evens out.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Are you sure? the concentration of solar energy is not good away from the equator, even in the summer.

I don't know this for sure, but I wouldn't think that the angle of insolation would matter all that much, especially since you can build the contraption and the angle that best adapts to the insolation patterns of the area.

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There's the little problem of what to do with all the radioactive waste that is accumulating in warehouses.

Old reactors should gradually be replaced by pebble-bed reactors that have passive safety features. They are, however, more expensive -- or so I think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pebble_bed_reactor

Originally posted by sh76
You don't need heat. All you need is sunlight. A solar device could work on the North Pole (in the summer, of course).

Doesn't it depend whether it's a photovoltaic or STE panel?