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144 comments on Solar Islands: A new concept for low-cost solar energy at very large scale

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Petrus on May 20, 2008 - 9:57am Permalink | Subthread | Comments top

Isnt's CRW and Wind a form of Solar energy?

We should not graph it separately, because they are interdependent. If we take some solar energy, we will diminish wind and CRW potential.

The most efficient form of use of solar energy was ommited. Photosynthesis uses 80% of incoming quantum of red light, leaving 20% as waste heat.

Unfortunately, the total photosynthesis efficiency in plants is much lower due to low CO2 and low Chlorophyl concentrations. But I believe, that these obstacles are technologically solvable.

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DaveMart on May 20, 2008 - 10:08am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

The wind energy figure will have been taken at a relatively low altitude, perhaps 50 meters, and will have other limiting assumptions.
High altitude wind if practical could amply provide all the power society needs.
Likewise hot rock geothermal.
Likewise nuclear fission.

I don't have anything against this idea, but some of the argument is a bit tenditious - for instance, PV power may make up for it's higher cost by being close to the consumer, and not requiring a very low efficiency stage of production of hydrogen.

This sound useful in some hot desert areas, but too extravagant claims need handling with care.

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Francois Cellier on May 20, 2008 - 4:17pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

The wind energy figure will have been taken at a relatively low altitude, perhaps 50 meters, and will have other limiting assumptions.

Correct. The author assumed that the average wind turbine generates on average 20% of its maximum power, because it isn't constantly exposed to wind. Some wind turbines (in very good locations) may have efficiency factors that are three times as large, but on average, this is not the case.

Figure 14 was furthermore compiled for latitudes below 20o. At higher latitude values, wind energy becomes more profitable in comparison with solar energy, because at those latitudes, you experience stronger winds and less sun.

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