Although lower tech, it is more expensive than PV, and electricity is worth more than heat. A good solar strategy for winter needs is to have 2000L of hot water and/or smaller amount of dirt, heated during the fall for distribution in winter.
A hydrogen economy is about being able to use all intermittent electricity with 4c/kwh monetization floor. It is suited to Canada due to very long summer days, but in most places in the world, this is profitable unlimited energy free of geopolitical extortion. H2 is cheaper to transport than electricity on wires, but local production is always better as primary energy source.
Obviously, there’s no need to nuke all other energy from orbit. It is very low emissions to use them as backup.
commercial solar cells, at reasonable cost range from 20%-25% efficient. I didn’t comment on your original 10% efficient “land availability” because some empty space should exist.
I didn’t comment on your original 10% efficient “land availability” because some empty space should exist.
I thought I referred to 0.1%, but yes, let’s leave some empty space (i.e. maybe ≥ 99.9%).
Again my concerns were/are efficiency and toxicity.
Glass tubes, painted black (or using a relatively non-toxic paint to decrease the albedo to, say, < 0.1), filled with water might have a high efficiency; are easily made (possibly 19th century technology); and with a relatively low impact on the environment.
PVCs other than silicon-based seem to require rare earths and other substances that are either toxic and/or are worse for the environment in mining and refining. Again, this is not to say to not use any, but not to when cheaper and/or environmentally better (or less bad) alternatives exist for particular uses.
The only toxic solar panels (cadmium) are US First Solar (company name) panels. Chinese panels are non-toxic. There are no rare earths in PV solar panels. Rare earths are in electric motors.
Although lower tech, it is more expensive than PV, and electricity is worth more than heat. A good solar strategy for winter needs is to have 2000L of hot water and/or smaller amount of dirt, heated during the fall for distribution in winter.
A hydrogen economy is about being able to use all intermittent electricity with 4c/kwh monetization floor. It is suited to Canada due to very long summer days, but in most places in the world, this is profitable unlimited energy free of geopolitical extortion. H2 is cheaper to transport than electricity on wires, but local production is always better as primary energy source.
Obviously, there’s no need to nuke all other energy from orbit. It is very low emissions to use them as backup.
Oh, okay.
Some more reading for me to do, I suppose.
wp:Hydrogen economy, wp:Green hydrogen, wp:Solar cell, and wp:Crystalline silicon (which apparantly has a 13.1% efficiency), and wp:Solar-cell efficiency.
commercial solar cells, at reasonable cost range from 20%-25% efficient. I didn’t comment on your original 10% efficient “land availability” because some empty space should exist.
I thought I referred to 0.1%, but yes, let’s leave some empty space (i.e. maybe ≥ 99.9%).
Again my concerns were/are efficiency and toxicity.
Glass tubes, painted black (or using a relatively non-toxic paint to decrease the albedo to, say, < 0.1), filled with water might have a high efficiency; are easily made (possibly 19th century technology); and with a relatively low impact on the environment.
PVCs other than silicon-based seem to require rare earths and other substances that are either toxic and/or are worse for the environment in mining and refining. Again, this is not to say to not use any, but not to when cheaper and/or environmentally better (or less bad) alternatives exist for particular uses.
The only toxic solar panels (cadmium) are US First Solar (company name) panels. Chinese panels are non-toxic. There are no rare earths in PV solar panels. Rare earths are in electric motors.