Harvest Infinite Solar Energy

Take Advantage Of Solar Power

As the report states, the 110 megawatt Crescent Dunes solar thermal energy project near Tonopah will be capable of generating electricity to power more than 43,000 homes (75,000 homes during peak project operations). One hundred percent of the electricity generated by the project will be sold to NV Energy under a 25-year contract, providing Nevada's largest utility with clean, reliable energy at stable prices that will be unaffected by volatility in oil, natural gas or coal prices. In addition, SolarReserve's innovative U.S.-developed energy storage technology can store the sun's energy for an entire day to generate electricity when needed, without interruption after the sun goes down or during cloudy periods – even 24 hours a day.

Critical to the need to diversify Nevada's economy, the project will directly employ more than 600 workers on site during peak construction activities, nearly all being Nevada residents. Construction of the facility began in September of 2011, with the solar power tower portion of the project completed in December 2011. To date, there have been more than 100 workers on site so far with local Nevadans comprising 81 percent of the construction workforce. Commercial operation is scheduled for the end of 2013.

Nevada-based companies have made up 80 percent of the on-site contractors thus far, including union and non-union firms. When accounting for offsite services and supply, more than 4,300 direct, indirect and induced jobs will be created at companies throughout the U.S. that provide engineering, equipment supply and manufacturing, transportation and other value-added services. To date, orders for the project have been placed for equipment and services in more than 20 states across the U.S.

As Senator Reid's report points out, SolarReserve's project has helped Nevada rank third nationally for utility-scale solar projects under development. The Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project is now the world's most advanced solar thermal energy technology. In addition to the ability to store the sun's energy for use during peak electricity demand periods, the project will generate almost two times the electricity in kilowatt-hours than that generated by a similarly sized photovoltaic (PV) or competing direct-to-steam solar thermal energy technologies.

With an investment of nearly $1 billion, this project could not have been built without federal policy programs to support renewable energy advancement and implementation. The project completed full financing in September of 2011, utilizing the Department of Energy's Loan Guarantee program along with more than $250 million in private equity investment from SolarReserve, ACS Cobra, a worldwide leader in the engineering and construction of power plants and thermal solar facilities, and Santander, a global financial services and banking leader. Nevada's Renewable Portfolio Standard, requiring that the state generate 25 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2025, has been critical in attracting companies like SolarReserve to the state.

Once operational, the project will expend more than $10 million per year in salaries

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reply to post by SincereSophia


I think this is a great idea. Solar energy could save humanity from enslavement by gas and oil companies. This is something that will take us into the next century.

If people would only use solar energy more often people would be more able to self sustain.

reply to post by SincereSophia


Solar energy isn't infinite.

As we step from a type 0 civilization to a type 1 civilization, we will become more efficient in harvesting the energy from our closest star.

reply to post by chr0naut


What would you say is the most affordable way to harvest the stars energy?

I would have to say that it is a cheap and practical way for surface dwellers to harvest the suns energy. It will be here for a very long time another few million according to mainstream science. If there is another way you know of that is more practical please let me know.

Originally posted by Borglikerace
reply to post by chr0naut

 

What would you say is the most affordable way to harvest the stars energy?

I would have to say that it is a cheap and practical way for surface dwellers to harvest the suns energy. It will be here for a very long time another few million according to mainstream science. If there is another way you know of that is more practical please let me know.

I think there would be greater efficiency if the collectors weren't 52 million miles away from the source.

Perhaps large collection "farms" in low solar orbit. Organized so they never shadow the Earth. Convert the power to microwave beams, (frequency designed so as NOT to boil water for added safety and to minimize power loss in the atmosphere) culminated to a few collection arrays on the surface of the Earth (probably equatorial).

Free(ish) energy for as long as we wish.

reply to post by chr0naut


That is a great idea. Do you think humanity already has organized an effort to attempt this? It would be better than solar energy but most people cannot afford to launch a project of this scale even the richest people on Earth would run out of money attempting this.

How long do you think it will be before humanity can come together and accomplish this? I would say at least another century. The first step is peacefully uniting all nations into one great alliance where each has its individuality intact. To eliminate individuality is to eliminate one of our greatest strengths as a species.

If it were not for free thinking electricity, the airplane, the car, and thousands of other revolutionary discoveries and inventions would never have existed. The transition to a type 1 civilization is narrowly defined by most as having to be one of authoritarianism in order to succeed. To restrict freedom will slow the progression of humanity and eliminate our greatest strength. It is totally possible to transition into a type one civilization while preserving freedom and sovereign nations.

reply to post by Borglikerace


I think that the space race should have been to achieve things like these that will have a long-term payoff.

We've already spent billions so that country "A" can proudly display the feather in its cap. Then we militarized space like some countries have a right to keep others out.

Now, we are just beginning to democratize and commercialize space.

I can tell you one thing, the organization that controls the first solar farm/s will absolutely be the richest people on Earth for centuries.

The first farms will be more expensive and smaller than the later ones. But when people begin to realize that it is a license to print money, every government and group will go for it.

reply to post by Borglikerace


I think, also, that the first step in the process would be to build a space elevator system (also equatorial) which would make getting payload to space cheaper and cleaner.

And that starts with a carbon nanofibre "cable factory" in geosynchronous orbit.