Comments on: Costs of Solar to match coal by 2010? http://understory.ran.org/2007/04/11/costs-of-solar-to-match-coal-by-2010/ The Understory is the official blog of Rainforest Action Network. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:33:44 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Muriel Strand http://understory.ran.org/2007/04/11/costs-of-solar-to-match-coal-by-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-344813 Muriel Strand Mon, 18 May 2009 03:19:40 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2007/04/11/costs-of-solar-to-match-coal-by-2010/#comment-344813 yes, it would be nice to get corporations to stop mining and burning coal. but until people stop buying the electricity generated, the corporations won't be deterred. so i suggest you first focus on how to get people to stop buying it. yes, it would be nice to get corporations to stop mining and burning coal. but until people stop buying the electricity generated, the corporations won’t be deterred. so i suggest you first focus on how to get people to stop buying it.

]]> By: Don http://understory.ran.org/2007/04/11/costs-of-solar-to-match-coal-by-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-86559 Don Thu, 03 May 2007 12:24:32 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2007/04/11/costs-of-solar-to-match-coal-by-2010/#comment-86559 Please be sure you are defining 0 tons per year. Manufacture of solar cells results in environmental releases of pollutants and the emissions associated with the energy input to make and install the cells.(Wikipedia - Environmental_concerns_with_electricity_generation) The processes also consume significant quantities of chemicals such as Hydrofluoric and Hydrochloric Acids, Sodium Hydroxide, Isopropyl Alcohol,Silane and Ammonia (and the production of many of these produce harmful gases). The manufacturing processes employed on also consume considerable quantities of potable water. Plus pollutants in the form of industrial waste water. (BP Solar) at one plant in Australia BP Solar produces approximately 265 Tonnes per MW used in production at 258 MW per hour.Yearly waste to landfill 1.37 Tonnes per MW.Hazardous waste produced 8.606 Kg/MW. I mention this not to knock Solar as an alternative to Coal or any other generation process, only it is important to note Solar is not clean in production and disposal of damaged Solar equipment including batteries for storage present is worth considering. Please be sure you are defining 0 tons per year.
Manufacture of solar cells results in environmental releases of pollutants and the emissions associated with the energy input to make and install the cells.(Wikipedia – Environmental_concerns_with_electricity_generation) The processes also consume significant quantities of chemicals such as Hydrofluoric and Hydrochloric Acids, Sodium Hydroxide, Isopropyl Alcohol,Silane and Ammonia (and the production of many of these produce harmful gases). The manufacturing processes employed on also consume considerable quantities of potable water. Plus pollutants in the form of industrial waste water. (BP Solar) at one plant in Australia BP Solar produces approximately 265 Tonnes per MW used in production at 258 MW per hour.Yearly waste to landfill 1.37 Tonnes per MW.Hazardous waste produced 8.606 Kg/MW.

I mention this not to knock Solar as an alternative to Coal or any other generation process, only it is important to note Solar is not clean in production and disposal of damaged Solar equipment including batteries for storage present is worth considering.

]]> By: craig hart http://understory.ran.org/2007/04/11/costs-of-solar-to-match-coal-by-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-81551 craig hart Fri, 13 Apr 2007 15:57:03 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2007/04/11/costs-of-solar-to-match-coal-by-2010/#comment-81551 All in all nuclear energy need not be the bogey man in is presently portrayed as. The terrorist threat must be solved, and this can only be done by diplomacy, not force. Sunnis and Shias must be allowed to share power in Iraq, and machinations against the so called shia "revolution" should be abandoned, in favour of dialoge, and a fairer more honest and open attitude by western governments to the economis disparity, and past marginalization that fuels the insurgency,and contributes to instability in one quarter of the world's population that happen to be Islamic. All in all nuclear energy need not be the bogey man in is presently portrayed as. The terrorist threat must be solved, and this can only be done by diplomacy, not force. Sunnis and Shias must be allowed to share power in Iraq, and machinations against the so called shia “revolution” should be abandoned, in favour of dialoge, and a fairer more honest and open attitude by western governments to the economis disparity, and past marginalization that fuels the insurgency,and contributes to instability in one quarter of the world’s population that happen to be Islamic.

]]> By: craig hart http://understory.ran.org/2007/04/11/costs-of-solar-to-match-coal-by-2010/comment-page-1/#comment-81550 craig hart Fri, 13 Apr 2007 15:51:41 +0000 http://understory.ran.org/2007/04/11/costs-of-solar-to-match-coal-by-2010/#comment-81550 TXU says it and exelon will start producing more nuclear reactors in Texas. TXU is considering building 12 big ones. Exelon and a couple of other energy companies are also planning several reactors. Approval has been fast tracked for the Clinton Illinois reactor, and another reactor, in Mississipi. A total of 29 reactors are under construction worldwide, including a new "pressurized" reactor given approval by prime minister Villpen in France (Normandy is the site). Many more reactors are planned(3or 4 a year in Russia until nuclear energy makes up 40 percent of the mix). China is negotiating with Japan in a new trade agreement. Nuclear energy is on the table, with reactors made by Westinghouse's nuclear division ( bought out by Japan). These reactors will be using reprocessed plutonium (breeder reactors). Designs have been drawn up for a new generation of sodium reactors (liquid sodium at very high temperatures generate electricity). A reprosessing plant is planned for the United States to supply Japan with reprosessed nuclear fuel for the forementioned breeder reactors. Russia has plans to sell floating reactors which they have designed for maritime locations in countries such as Indonesia, and of which they plan to make dozens. Sir Kenith King in England has gone on the record as saying that without a new effort to build nuclear power plants worldwide the battle to control global warming will be "lost". So thats all I know, and if you like nuclear energy it looks encouraging, if you don't it looks a little sinister. Greenpeace has come out against nuclear energy because it is a potential terrorist risk, and there is not adequate facilities to dispose of nuclear waste. In that regard experiments are underway to consolidate nuclear waste in building material such as cement, which is then deposited deep underground. Some environmentalists have been swayed in favour of new nuclear energy, and producers say that the next generation of reactors are safer than before. In the congress, Nancy Pelosi has said that nuclear energy should be revisted (my words), while senator Boxer is still doubtful. California has removed its legal barriers to constructing new nuclear reactors. In Canada the Prime Minister Steven Harper has hinted that 2 reactors may be built near the tar sands in Alberta to supply the energy needed to remover bitumen, there by negating the need to consume natural gas from the Mackenzie Valley pipline (proposed, but almost in the approval stage), which can then be sold to the United States, and used to retrofit existing dirtier fossil fuel plants. TXU says it and exelon will start producing more nuclear reactors in Texas. TXU is considering building 12 big ones. Exelon and a couple of other energy companies are also planning several reactors. Approval has been fast tracked for the Clinton Illinois reactor, and another reactor, in Mississipi. A total of 29 reactors are under construction worldwide, including a new “pressurized” reactor given approval by prime minister Villpen in France (Normandy is the site). Many more reactors are planned(3or 4 a year in Russia until nuclear energy makes up 40 percent of the mix). China is negotiating with Japan in a new trade agreement. Nuclear energy is on the table, with reactors made by Westinghouse’s nuclear division ( bought out by Japan). These reactors will be using reprocessed plutonium (breeder reactors). Designs have been drawn up for a new generation of sodium reactors (liquid sodium at very high temperatures generate electricity). A reprosessing plant is planned for the United States to supply Japan with reprosessed nuclear fuel for the forementioned breeder reactors. Russia has plans to sell floating reactors which they have designed for maritime locations in countries such as Indonesia, and of which they plan to make dozens. Sir Kenith King in England has gone on the record as saying that without a new effort to build nuclear power plants worldwide the battle to control global warming will be “lost”. So thats all I know, and if you like nuclear energy it looks encouraging, if you don’t it looks a little sinister. Greenpeace has come out against nuclear energy because it is a potential terrorist risk, and there is not adequate facilities to dispose of nuclear waste. In that regard experiments are underway to consolidate nuclear waste in building material such as cement, which is then deposited deep underground. Some environmentalists have been swayed in favour of new nuclear energy, and producers say that the next generation of reactors are safer than before. In the congress, Nancy Pelosi has said that nuclear energy should be revisted (my words), while senator Boxer is still doubtful. California has removed its legal barriers to constructing new nuclear reactors. In Canada the Prime Minister Steven Harper has hinted that 2 reactors may be built near the tar sands in Alberta to supply the energy needed to remover bitumen, there by negating the need to consume natural gas from the Mackenzie Valley pipline (proposed, but almost in the approval stage), which can then be sold to the United States, and used to retrofit existing dirtier fossil fuel plants.

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