For the Solar Doubters
 

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal...l/443019a.html

The Sun provides Earth with as much energy every hour as human civilization uses every year. If you are a solar-energy enthusiast, that says it all. No other energy supply could conceivably be as plentiful as the 120,000 terawatts the Sun provides ceaselessly and unbidden. If the tiniest fraction of that sunlight were to be captured by photovoltaic cells that turn it straight into electricity, there would be no need to emit any greenhouse gases from any power plant.

Hey, I was right!

That does make a good sound bite for Greenpeace.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._land_area.png

In this diagram, the dark spots signify areas of the earth needed to power the entire planet (assuming a conversion efficiency of 8%).

Not much of the Earth's surface, as we can see.

- source: http://www.ez2c.de/ml/solar_land_area/

It's hitting us whether we like it or not. Let's use it. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif

Exactly. There's no reason why we shouldn't. And we need the remaining oil supplies to get that up and running. Once the initial work has been done, limitless energy for everyone on the planet http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif

Of course, it isn't in any corporation's interest for that to happen, so it won't happen until we remove the corporatocracy.

I need to see if I can still get the government rebate to install a solar panel here.

I've been wanting to for years...and now the gov. pays....win/winhttp://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/thumbsup.gif

I will need to lop a lot of my trees though.

A friend who has done it already has saved over 60% on her power bill.

there are houses being built in Britain now that are 100% solar powered, and even have surplus to sell back to the national grid.

It's worth doing, even if you're just saving a little money. Fingers crossed you get that rebate http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif

If I wasn't stuck in rented property I'd be doing the same.

My ex and I had/have 100 acres of land we always planned to go "self sufficient" on

All grand plans for a mud brick house..solar and wind powered...and home schooled kids.http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif


But 25 years ago...it was going to cost over $50 grand just to set up the solar/wind system and we just couldnt afford it.

It was still relatively "new" back then......

Nimbin (which I'm sure YOU have heard of)http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/wink.gif had one of the best alternative power companies in the country back then...and only a quick trip to check them out.

well whaddayaknow...they're STILL around...

http://www.rpc.com.au/

I'd love to be self-sufficient - and 100 acres is more than enough to do that. My sister in-laws parents are pretty self-sufficient on a half-acre plot of land. The only thing they buy from the shops is meat once a week. The rest they grow themselves, and they have their own dairy too.

It'd be pretty awesome to be in that situation I think.

Nimbin has so much more to offer than just alternative energy solutions though http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/wink.gif

uh huh.http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/cool.gif

The Goode Life....I always aspired to it.....*sigh*

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/200...BC_468x426.jpg

I've always aspired to have a significant other as lovely as Felicity Kendall.

She was a cutie....now when I see/hear her name...I always think of Rick from the Young Ones...and how much he loved her.http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...smilies/24.gif

she certainly was.

Rick would never stand a chance with her, but damn, he had good taste in women...

My only knowledge of solar power is that stupid paddy on TV advertising Everest solar panelled windows or some shit.

"Now be honest, you didn't expect Everest to be doing thta today, did you?"

I couldn't give a shit either, amazingly enough.

Solar power doesn't bother me, but I don't think about it too much either.

I'd love to go solar power, I'm not sure how much of our electricity is solar powered, I know a small percentage of it is. But I don't run the household so mum makes these decisions, regardless of me http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/dunno.gif

maybe. Doesnt mean its not valid.

Zorak doesn't care. He wants to destroy the environment.

Ive worked for a Solar plant for the last 14 years, and its a very expensive industry, it was hard for us to get investement for a long time, as the plate could be unstable and degrade over time, this happens to all solar panels, but now everyone is screaming to invest and put up solar, its good news generally, with UK feed in tariffs, its well worth investing in a system to power your home to reduce your bill, and feed the energy back into the grid when you dont need it and get paid.

i know we can do it,..but the problem isnt the fact that we cant,..its the fact that the people pulling the strings are making their money with oil...not solar..so it will not be cheap or competitive for at least a decade.