tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post6731981914793929062..comments2024-03-28T22:45:51.014+00:00Comments on Capitalists@Work: Desertec's trouble highlights Solar energy failingsCityUnslickerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15929544047783163175noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-58816336026302077852013-08-01T14:58:27.096+01:002013-08-01T14:58:27.096+01:00this is true and very interesting in this way i li...this is true and very interesting in this way i like it so much ..."" Now some stores you just can't believe and others you can write the script too far in advance. The Desertec story definitely fits into the latter category.<br /><br />Desertec was a German Green-Party led idea for building 125 gigawatts of solar power plant across the Desert of North Africa for export to Europe. At the cost of a mere 400 billion euros this was supposed to save us from dominance by Gazprom and others.<br /><br />Green energy, helping poor countries, getting away from nasty Russians and their gas. What a great PR opportunity.<br />"""Agence communicationhttp://www.salisoft.manoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-59560279248278237692012-11-20T12:52:18.704+00:002012-11-20T12:52:18.704+00:00Er, Ssolar pv doesn't work when the sun don...Er, Ssolar pv doesn't work when the sun don't shine. That's every night, folks.Budgienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-63868001557113667012012-11-19T22:00:52.389+00:002012-11-19T22:00:52.389+00:00Moonbeam generation is the future. All you need is...Moonbeam generation is the future. All you need is moonlight, chanting book and a coal fired power station and you'll have plenty of energyArthur dentednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-46639125494987195652012-11-19T18:04:12.768+00:002012-11-19T18:04:12.768+00:00This science thingy is a bit rich for me, but why ...This science thingy is a bit rich for me, but why don't they put the solar panels deep enough in the sea to do wave energy as well. Even better the installations could support underwater windmills.Demetriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17198549581667363991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-22744282031078777062012-11-19T17:55:06.557+00:002012-11-19T17:55:06.557+00:00I can quote a non working small scale example from...I can quote a non working small scale example from the French Spanish border region.<br /><br />Friends bought a mas that was too far from the EDF supply to be economically connected - the reason it was for sale in the first place. Because of some EU initiative EDF built a solar panel array with massive batteries for storage - they were supposed to give 7 days autonomy just in case, EDF also charged for the electricity supplied.<br /><br />The first time the electricity ran out after 2 rainy days they complained and the installers came out and found some faulty diodes at the panels. The second time no one could find a fault and they were told they were using too much electricity - a few eco bulbs, a fridge and a computer, no way.<br /><br />The third time the called me and I agreed to meet them in town at an Industrial supplies establishment. There I introduced them to a 10kW diesel generator. I installed the generator for them and connected it to the large inverter mains input and auto start.<br /><br />There hasn't been a forth time and now EDF pays them for electricity which more than covers their outgoings on red diesel.<br /><br />No matter how you cut it solar energy is not and will not be viable on earth - in space that is another matter entirely, the getting it from there to here is the problem with that. <br /><br />One day the greens will realise that all of the alternative energy proposals are worthless then we might get a sensible energy policy based on nuclear - but I'm not holding mt breath waiting. ivannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-39853343495321700912012-11-19T17:45:24.675+00:002012-11-19T17:45:24.675+00:00PV is sunny countries makes sense, just a geotherm...PV is sunny countries makes sense, just a geothermal in say iceland. I have more of a problem with the alleged ability to push leccy from say Morrocco to Scotland!CityUnslickerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15929544047783163175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-64400347629267144582012-11-19T17:07:48.183+00:002012-11-19T17:07:48.183+00:00Not so sure this story is as bad as portrayed. Ac...Not so sure this story is as bad as portrayed. According to some Bloomberg New Energy Finance research, in sunny high-leccy price areas unsubsidised PV leccy costs less than domestic leccy prices (assessed using a 6% discount rate, which many domestic customers would find acceptable ROI). [<a href="http://www.newenergyfinance.com/PressReleases/view/216%22" rel="nofollow">press release</a>, <a href="www.bnef.com/WhitePapers/download/82" rel="nofollow">PAPER</a>]<br /><br />Examples of such countries are claimed to be Italy, Spain and parts of Australia. California, Brazil and Turkey are fairly close, likely to be by 2015.<br /><br />So for sunny countries, support seems plausible soon for an unsubsidised industry. Though unclear if domestic alone could support the industry, and not sure if/when the economics would work for industrial customers.rwendlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07861901317813829419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-69173899236830578492012-11-19T14:56:33.084+00:002012-11-19T14:56:33.084+00:00In fact, Solar energy is an industry in huge crisi...In fact, Solar energy is an industry in huge crisis<br /><br />Not to mention wind farms.James Highamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14525082702330365464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-74235172860281500472012-11-19T14:32:22.599+00:002012-11-19T14:32:22.599+00:00I believe we will get shale gas - but not until af...I believe we will get shale gas - but not until after a few energy disasters. <br /><br />It will reach a point where we simply can't afford to have school children running the country. Electro-Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18073103431166273080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-40334902228585581932012-11-19T13:04:13.624+00:002012-11-19T13:04:13.624+00:00This is what you get when politicians, especially ...This is what you get when politicians, especially greenie ones, try to pick winners. Stuff only works when it works, not when politicians say it will.<br /><br />Cameron is no better. And his latest wheeze is to bypass planning safeguards so he can build more windmills. You just know we will get Millybland in a couple of years' time. A choice of two daft statists.Budgienoreply@blogger.com