overland
Active Member
- Jan 12, 2017
- 269
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- #1
(That is along with lowering population levels) Energy companies may not like it. Car companies being forced to go electric instead if those overly complicated and expensive hybrids may not like it. But solar energy is the way to go. If every house, building, parking garage or whatever had solar panels on the roof, the U.S. would produce far more energy than it needs. That doesn't include large solar panel arrays out in the desert.
For times when there is no sunlight, excess electricity could be stored in scaled up batteries. Or maybe capacitors. Though these could be the size of oil storage tanks, it could still be done. Or excess electricity could be used to heat sodium. Which could then be used to heat water and run steam turbines for times of no sunlight. Though power lines would still be needed to move power around. Because expecting homeowners to have batteries in their basements to store energy for nighttime use might be asking a little much of the average U.S. homeowner.
Another thing I like about solar panels is that over their lifespan, they create more energy than the energy needed to create them. That sounds pretty damned efficient. And efficiency is the direction in which we need to go.
For times when there is no sunlight, excess electricity could be stored in scaled up batteries. Or maybe capacitors. Though these could be the size of oil storage tanks, it could still be done. Or excess electricity could be used to heat sodium. Which could then be used to heat water and run steam turbines for times of no sunlight. Though power lines would still be needed to move power around. Because expecting homeowners to have batteries in their basements to store energy for nighttime use might be asking a little much of the average U.S. homeowner.
Another thing I like about solar panels is that over their lifespan, they create more energy than the energy needed to create them. That sounds pretty damned efficient. And efficiency is the direction in which we need to go.