Larry Dighera wrote:
On Fri, 29 Apr 2016 00:27:16 -0000, wrote:
Larry Dighera wrote:
On Wed, 27 Apr 2016 08:16:24 +1200, george152 wrote:
On 4/27/2016 4:39 AM, Larry Dighera wrote:
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Solar-Impulse-II-Makes-California-226128-1.html
Solar Impulse II Makes California
Solar Impulse II completed a 56-hour leg from Hawaii to Mountain View,
California just before midnight local time on Saturday. The aircraft, which had
to undergo a refit in Hawaii after the epic leg from Japan wrecked its
batteries, reportedly performed flawlessly on the trip, which ended with a
dramatic entrance over the Golden Gate Bridge on the way to Mountain View just
south of San Francisco. "WOW. A normal day as an explorer," the organization
tweeted as it sent out an iconic photo of the aircraft over the bridge shot
from a chase aircraft with founder Bertrand Piccard at the controls.
"It's a new era. It's not science fiction. It's today," Piccard told CNN from
California after landing. "It exists and clean technologies can do the
impossible." A big window of benign weather, rare for the North Pacific, helped
the effort and the landing was under clear skies. The Mountain View landing was
a diversion from the scheduled U.S. arrival point of Phoenix and it's not clear
what route the aircraft will take as it crosses the U.S. It has a major
challenge ahead with a northern Atlantic crossing on its way to finishing the
circumnavigation in Abu Dhabi. Video: https://youtu.be/wQCOfuwG6ss.
It's a toy.
One seat
flies at 30 odd knots
and cooks batteries in a -c environment
And is accompanied by an inflatable hangar, ground crew in commercial
airliners
Personally, I wouldn't characterize it as a toy, but more like a proof of
concept vehicle, to demonstrate the feasibility of harvesting the sun's energy
to potentially provide clean, sustainable transportation.
At any rate, if Solar Impulse II successfully flies around the world solely
powered by energy from the sun, I'd equate that with Lindbergh's solo Atlantic
feat, at least.
At last, electric power appears to have planted its banner solidly in the
fertile soil of transportation. And, hydrogen fuel makes it a clean, feasible
alternative to gasoline, that can be generated by solar powered electrolysis of
water (on the ground) without the pollution of petrochemical extraction and
emissions. Current photovoltaic cell's limited efficiency preclude their use
to power heaver than air aircraft in a practical way, but for lighter than air
aircraft, they may be quiet well suited, as they won't have to provide the
power to support the weight of the aircraft, only propel it.
It's about time superior technology pushed aside the vested interests, and be
recognized for its true benefits. Perhaps there's hope the 21st century may
initiate an era that transcends politics, profiteers, and plutocrats,
recognizes the limitations of a closed system, and offers long term,
sustainable solutions. We can hope ...
What vested interests would that be?
I was referring to the petrochemical industry, that incidentally is currently
outrageously financially subsidized by our nation's government. [1]
The petrochemical industry makes things like plastic and fertilizer, not
electrical power.
Perhaps the Chineses panel makers dumping panels?
While that may be a factor in the bankruptcies you mention below, currently it
has resulted in reducing the cost of solar panels below $1.00 per watt:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/381173196624.
Panel cost is a small fraction of the total installed cost of a solar
power system and prices are down because of a glut of panels.
Maybe the tax subsidies that are required before anyone with any economic
sense gets involved with solar power?
Absent a fantasic improvement in solar cell efficiency, just around the
corner now for about a half century, solar power will remain a niche
technology.
Solar energy firms bankrupt in 2015: Enecsys, QBotix, Solar-Fabrik, Soitec,
TSMC Solar. On the brink of being bankrupt: Spire Corporation, Andalay Solar,
Abengoa.
Solar energy firms bankrupt in 2014: Areva's solar business, HelioVolt,
LDK, Masdar PV, SolarMax, Sopogy, TEL, Xunlight.
Hello Jim,
Your argument is pretty convincing from a narrow point of view. :-)
You mean like reality.
I know you to be a knowledgeable engineer who possesses a sound mind capable of
reasoned and insightful thoughts. But, your failure to acknowledge some of the
fundamental parameters of the issue of clean, sustainable power production is
disappointing. While cost is important in an immediate way, the fact that our
planet is a closed system with finite resources demands a longer view IMO.
There's a clue he https://youtu.be/0Z760XNy4VM.
The phrase "sustainable power" is meaningless hype.
If our planet were a closed system, solar energy wouldn't work at all.
You do know the modern view is that petroleum is not dinosaurs and is
constantly being created in the Earth?
Known oil reserves are estimated to be several hundred years worth, which
should be long enough to get fusion energy and good batteries working.
Not that petroleum has much of anything to do with electrical power, but
you would need LOTS of electrical power to systhesis the things currently
made from petroleum, plus giant leaps in several technologies before
something like an electric 747 becomes possible.
So, while solar power production may cost more than other technologies, its
lack of negative ecological impact and sustainability clearly make it
preferable to befouling our fragile environment and critical dependence on a
dirty and finite petrochemical resource. I realize this "long view' is foreign
to casino capitalists, but thoughtful, responsible individuals have no choice
but to embrace it.
If you think "sustainable power" has no environmetal impact, you are living
in a fantasy world.
Photovoltaic systems provide a clean method of decentralizing the electrical
grid, and mitigating its vulnerability to single-point-of-failure interruptions
while providing shade in sunny environments to further reduce cooling loads.
Solar power production and electrical motive power are currently experiencing
rapid development, and as technical progress is achieved over the coming years,
it will become apparent to even the staunchest critic, that the efficiencies
achievable compared to petrochemicals and environmental compatibility make it
the clear choice for future generations.
Not everyplace has abundent sunshine and the decentralized solar power in
Hawaii, one of the few places where it is really practical, is destabilizing
the grid. A stable grid REQUIRES central control, and again, petrochemicals
have little to nothing to do with electrical power.
There is more to life than money, you'll have to agree.
Sure, there is a roof over one's head that is heated in the winter, cooled
in the summer, clothes, food, etc.
Best regards,
Larry
[1]
http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/2-Mile-Long-Stretch-Of-Iraqi-Oil-Tankers-Bound-For-US-Shores.html
Related: 2-Mile Long Stretch Of Iraqi Oil Tankers Bound For U.S. Shores
So what?
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated earlier this year that global
fossil fuel subsidies had reached $US5.3 trillion, a figure highlighted at
$US10 million a minute to make the number more tangible. The driving force
behind this concept of subsidy is Nicholas Stern, a climate economist at the
London School of Economics. The IMF called the huge number ?extremely robust?
and the conclusion ?shocking.? Stern said, ?This very important analysis
shatters the myth that fossil fuels are cheap by showing just how huge their
real costs are. There is no justification for these enormous subsidies for
fossil fuels, which distorts markets and damages economies, particularly in
poorer countries.?
To illustrate exactly how egregious this problem is, the IMF said fossil fuel
subsidies are greater than the total spending on healthcare by all the world?s
governments. If fossil fuels were not so cheap then renewable energy
alternatives would no longer require government subsidies.
The US does not subsidize the petroleum industry, in fact it penalizes
the industry when the profits are deemed to be too high.
The petroleum industry has one of the lowest profit margins in industries
of all types; their total dollar profits are huge becausee the companies
are huge.
--
Jim Pennino