Comments on: Solar Panels in the Sahara Could Meet All Europe’s Energy Needs http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/03/15/solar-panels-in-the-sahara-could-meet-all-europes-energy-needs/ News & commentary on sustainability, activism, urban planning, politics, and our world. Fri, 25 May 2012 16:38:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: duck24 http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/03/15/solar-panels-in-the-sahara-could-meet-all-europes-energy-needs/comment-page-1/#comment-115712 duck24 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:17:30 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2468#comment-115712 It is a condition forced upon all of us - one that we did not cause - that it takes a collective effort to build and maintain power plants of any kind. Capitalism=fascism fails because it does not recognize that simple fact, while hypocritically forcing individuals to conform to the fascist's conservative "values", including forcing individuals to honor the military, when in fact the military is the biggest financial and anti-freedom drain on ANY government. One can and should try to create solar plants as locally as possible, but it is not always physically possible. It is a condition forced upon all of us – one that we did not cause – that it takes a collective effort to build and maintain power plants of any kind. Capitalism=fascism fails because it does not recognize that simple fact, while hypocritically forcing individuals to conform to the fascist’s conservative “values”, including forcing individuals to honor the military, when in fact the military is the biggest financial and anti-freedom drain on ANY government. One can and should try to create solar plants as locally as possible, but it is not always physically possible.

]]> By: krissy http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/03/15/solar-panels-in-the-sahara-could-meet-all-europes-energy-needs/comment-page-1/#comment-60944 krissy Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:20:41 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2468#comment-60944 Europe needs to generate its own energy. You can't just go into Africa and set up miles of solar panels. Its destroying the fragile arid environment and we can't forget that solar panels require water for cooling. This might speed up desertification there. Plus its an eyesore. This is ugly green development and we still need to cut our energy consumption because miles of solar panels are not a desirable option for anyone except for maybe a greedy energy company. Europe needs to generate its own energy. You can’t just go into Africa and set up miles of solar panels. Its destroying the fragile arid environment and we can’t forget that solar panels require water for cooling. This might speed up desertification there. Plus its an eyesore. This is ugly green development and we still need to cut our energy consumption because miles of solar panels are not a desirable option for anyone except for maybe a greedy energy company.

]]> By: SteakAndAlePie http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/03/15/solar-panels-in-the-sahara-could-meet-all-europes-energy-needs/comment-page-1/#comment-60942 SteakAndAlePie Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:40:57 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2468#comment-60942 There are a bunch of problems with this plan. One that has not been spoken of is a change in climate due to the extracted energy (the desert is cooling of). This can be positive, but it is also highly unpredictable and could cause several species to go extinct at least. In the long run we have to either cut down our power needs or take a risk at one of those extreme ideas. There are a bunch of problems with this plan. One that has not been spoken of is a change in climate due to the extracted energy (the desert is cooling of). This can be positive, but it is also highly unpredictable and could cause several species to go extinct at least.

In the long run we have to either cut down our power needs or take a risk at one of those extreme ideas.

]]> By: Dr Nicholas Lalvani http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/03/15/solar-panels-in-the-sahara-could-meet-all-europes-energy-needs/comment-page-1/#comment-60939 Dr Nicholas Lalvani Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:23:20 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2468#comment-60939 The first criticism is just racist but the other level interesting considerations. Please though let's not undermine a group of people who are dedicating their professional lives to tackling the current energy crisis. Also lacking in the critique was a show of preferece for the limited alternatives 1) Nuclear fusion, 2) Nuclear fission (unsustainable), 3) A more localised project of wind, solar and wave technology. Easy to criticise, hard to invent. Nick The first criticism is just racist but the other level interesting considerations. Please though let’s not undermine a group of people who are dedicating their professional lives to tackling the current energy crisis. Also lacking in the critique was a show of preferece for the limited alternatives 1) Nuclear fusion, 2) Nuclear fission (unsustainable), 3) A more localised project of wind, solar and wave technology.

Easy to criticise, hard to invent.

Nick

]]> By: Steve http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/03/15/solar-panels-in-the-sahara-could-meet-all-europes-energy-needs/comment-page-1/#comment-60937 Steve Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:59:01 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2468#comment-60937 As socialism/fascism fails it often ends in war. I guess we can expect the EU to invade northern Africa once more, this time to rob it of another natural resource, the sun. History does repeat. As socialism/fascism fails it often ends in war. I guess we can expect the EU to invade northern Africa once more, this time to rob it of another natural resource, the sun. History does repeat.

]]> By: Ben http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/03/15/solar-panels-in-the-sahara-could-meet-all-europes-energy-needs/comment-page-1/#comment-60935 Ben Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:10:44 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2468#comment-60935 Interesting, but unrealistic. The study practically handwaves downtime in an area known for violent sandstorms. Sandstorms are very damaging to glass and electronics. The "only a small country" thing sounds great until you realize that you are talking about an area larger than most cities. The order of magnitude here defies imagination. You aren't talking a few thousand people. It would take a large army (> 1 million men) of trained technicians to maintain them and a larger army (>10 million?) of diggers to keep them unburied by sand. Then it would take another large army to keep those first two armies supplied. This ignores the problems with transmission, political instability, the two combined (what better way to start a war than cutting power to all of Europe?), and getting power during the night. This isn't a cut-and-dry sure-fire idea. In fact, it is probably one of the most expensive alternatives available. I have not seen a single evaluation that has had even a reasonable order of magnitude for maintenance costs. Interesting, but unrealistic. The study practically handwaves downtime in an area known for violent sandstorms. Sandstorms are very damaging to glass and electronics.

The “only a small country” thing sounds great until you realize that you are talking about an area larger than most cities. The order of magnitude here defies imagination. You aren’t talking a few thousand people. It would take a large army (> 1 million men) of trained technicians to maintain them and a larger army (>10 million?) of diggers to keep them unburied by sand. Then it would take another large army to keep those first two armies supplied. This ignores the problems with transmission, political instability, the two combined (what better way to start a war than cutting power to all of Europe?), and getting power during the night.

This isn’t a cut-and-dry sure-fire idea. In fact, it is probably one of the most expensive alternatives available.

I have not seen a single evaluation that has had even a reasonable order of magnitude for maintenance costs.

]]> By: Stan B http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/03/15/solar-panels-in-the-sahara-could-meet-all-europes-energy-needs/comment-page-1/#comment-60938 Stan B Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:21:51 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2468#comment-60938 Great Idea - but who's going to clean and maintain them? Sand is one of the most abrasive substances known to man - you'll be forever replacing solar panels. Not to mention the problem of keeping the sand OFF the solar panels so that the sun can shine ON them. This is a non-starter - or if it does start, it will be seen as the biggest boondoggle the world has ever seen as costs far outweigh benefits. BTW - How do you get transmission lines across the Mediterranean? Great Idea – but who’s going to clean and maintain them? Sand is one of the most abrasive substances known to man – you’ll be forever replacing solar panels. Not to mention the problem of keeping the sand OFF the solar panels so that the sun can shine ON them.

This is a non-starter – or if it does start, it will be seen as the biggest boondoggle the world has ever seen as costs far outweigh benefits.

BTW – How do you get transmission lines across the Mediterranean?

]]> By: solar investment http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/03/15/solar-panels-in-the-sahara-could-meet-all-europes-energy-needs/comment-page-1/#comment-60936 solar investment Sun, 15 Mar 2009 08:17:18 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2468#comment-60936 This is a great opportunity, but if someone will allow this to happen? This is a great opportunity, but if someone will allow this to happen?

]]> By: Joe Kaffir http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/03/15/solar-panels-in-the-sahara-could-meet-all-europes-energy-needs/comment-page-1/#comment-60940 Joe Kaffir Sun, 15 Mar 2009 06:39:19 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2468#comment-60940 <em>Editor's note: The following comment was moderated and inappropriate or offensive language was deleted. However, the comment as a whole was not deleted so as to try and preserve the commenter's main point.</em> Sure, invest billions of [<em>deleted</em>] money in [<em>deleted</em>] countries so they can hold us hostage to solar power instead of oil ! It isn't bad enough that the [<em>deleted</em>] blackmail us and exhort money in the largest transfer of wealth in human history since 1973, or that [<em>deleted</em>] Putin tried to hold Eastern Europe hostage to his natural gas shutoff, now let's make us more vulnerable again! What a breakthrough ! Editor’s note: The following comment was moderated and inappropriate or offensive language was deleted. However, the comment as a whole was not deleted so as to try and preserve the commenter’s main point.

Sure, invest billions of [deleted] money in [deleted] countries so they can hold us hostage to solar power instead of oil !
It isn’t bad enough that the [deleted] blackmail us and exhort money in the largest transfer of wealth in human history since 1973, or that [deleted] Putin tried to hold Eastern Europe hostage to his natural gas shutoff, now let’s make us more vulnerable again!
What a breakthrough !

]]>