Renewables don't work

[minestrone]

It's a great idea in principle:

Is Anything Stopping a Truly Massive Build-Out of Desert Solar Power? - Scientific American

It would however be beyond astronomically expensive.

You would have to shoot all the locals first, that is the biggest problem.

[DodgyAgent]

Massive African solar project could provide cheap power to 2.5 million UK homes - Mirror Online

Using the Sahara for baseload solar power: the Nur Energie plan for Tunisian CSP | Carbon Commentary

Solar Roadways - Introduction

The development of solar technology moves rapidly. In a few years it will take over as the main source of power. This of course fails to address the problem of the left wing climate change taleban .. which is that driving expensive cars and consumption of high end "rich persons" toys will become environmentally acceptable. The left will have to find another totem on which to pursue their anti capitalist anti rich agenda.

[SimonMac]

It's a great idea in principle:

Is Anything Stopping a Truly Massive Build-Out of Desert Solar Power? - Scientific American

It would however be beyond astronomically expensive.

I think the problem is that to have a great big solar array in the desert, you would need the supporting infrastruture to get the energy to the rest of the world

[DodgyAgent]

I think the problem is that to have a great big solar array in the desert, you would need the supporting infrastruture to get the energy to the rest of the world

HVDC seems to be the most effective way of transferring power https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-v...direct_current

[VectraMan]

I think the problem is that to have a great big solar array in the desert, you would need the supporting infrastruture to get the energy to the rest of the world

And it still doesn't work at night.

Is huge centralised generation really the best way? There's a lot of rooves in the UK that are essentially doing nothing. If near enough every house and office had solar panels the power would be used locally and you wouldn't need the massive investment in power lines.

[pjclarke]

No he's right, he's just not saying what you think. To avoid dangerous climate change, the whole world needs to be not just where Denmark is now (carbon-free by 2050) but ahead of them. Current technologies cannot deliver this, hence we need massive investment in innovation.

[EternalOptimist]

And it still doesn't work at night.

Is huge centralised generation really the best way? There's a lot of rooves in the UK that are essentially doing nothing. If near enough every house and office had solar panels the power would be used locally and you wouldn't need the massive investment in power lines.

Going to PV is a big mistake imho. Much better to use solar water heating (pre heating).
There is much less to go wrong, no subsidies required and it's a proven technology.

[pjclarke]

Massive African solar project could provide cheap power to 2.5 million UK homes - Mirror Online

Using the Sahara for baseload solar power: the Nur Energie plan for Tunisian CSP | Carbon Commentary

Solar Roadways - Introduction

The development of solar technology moves rapidly. In a few years it will take over as the main source of power. This of course fails to address the problem of the left wing climate change taleban .. which is that driving expensive cars and consumption of high end "rich persons" toys will become environmentally acceptable. The left will have to find another totem on which to pursue their anti capitalist anti rich agenda.

I can't speak for the entire Green movement, but personally I am in favour of expensive cars and toys; if they can be made available without trashing the environment.

[pjclarke]

And it still doesn't work at night.

Is huge centralised generation really the best way? There's a lot of rooves in the UK that are essentially doing nothing. If near enough every house and office had solar panels the power would be used locally and you wouldn't need the massive investment in power lines.

Small-scale has its place, but can only provide a fraction of the total requirement. We need utility-scale generation and international distribution, what we get is energy companies backing away from renewables and in this country, a Government ending pump-priming subsidies early.

Small is Useless | George Monbiot

[pjclarke]

Going to PV is a big mistake imho. Much better to use solar water heating (pre heating).
There is much less to go wrong, no subsidies required and it's a proven technology.

For most houses, that's spot on.