TheVictim

If you want to convert solar into power to charge batteries or produce hydrogen then I think Stirling engines would be the way to go. You can get MUCH more efficiency that way. Just focus the solar to produce heat directly on the hot side of the engine. You wouldn't even need to convert it to steam first.

Nigel Goodwin

Doesn't sound very plusible?, if it was don't you think people would be using them?. As I recall Stirling engines are inefficient and produce very little power?.

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philba

yeah, crux of the matter is focusing enough solar energy. Those megawatt solar plants use hundreds or even thousands of steerable mirrors to concentrate the solar energy. Though, they generate steam to turn turbines.

I think the calculations of how much power you could get from a Stirling engine is fairly easy. at least you should be able to compute heat gain for the footprint of a concentrator. Inefficiencies for a specific device will be harder to determine, a priori.

CheapSlider

Using solar power to directly power vehicles is a non starter in northern latitudes.
Solar power is best generated in at static sites and transported to where its needed
At present CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) appears most promising. There was a study (6Mb pdf) done in Germany about building CSP stations in the Sahara and transporting the power to Europe.

jamesmi

Here's a link about a solar farm being built in Ontario. It doesn't give much as far as specifics, but it would seem that they wouldn't build it if it didn't make sense financially. I agree that wind is probably a better option for those that have enough of it.

I think that for alternative energy to work that several methods will have to be used to take advantage of whatever resource a particular area has, be it wind, solar, geothermal, the ocean or whatever. I say use whatever you can that makes sense.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070426/...M6EvX1S84PLBIF

3v0

Money down the drain. Should have invested in research.

From link.

Construction cost will be about $320,000,000 for the 40 megawatt plant.

The solar farm will stretch across nearly 365 hectares.

Money down the drain. Should have invested in research.

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Oznog

One of the coolest solar ideas- the updraft tower:

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

Large areas of just cheap black surface heat the air underneath so it rises through the tower.

However, a TALL tower is required. The idea will not work with a small one at home. Towers of up to 1000meters have been suggested.

You gotta admit, saving the earth aside, a spire over half a mile high would be an inspirational piece of art. Screw biodiesel algae farms, this one kicks ass for style.

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