That still isn’t as much as one would like. At peak sunlight, it’ll generate as much power as a coal plant or a small nuclear plant. But since it isn’t always peak sunlight out, all told it will generate about a third of what a coal plant would. Let’s not get depressed here. Utilities just need to build a ton more of them.
An example of the private sector finally stepping up and displaying serious environmental stewardship? Christ no. PG&E is doing this because they’re desperately trying to meet California’s unusually demanding state green laws, which ask utilities to draw at least 20% of their power from renewable sources by a deadline in 2010. PG&E may well still fail to meet it, as the solar panels might not be fully operational until 2011.
Companies aren’t going to stop pretending market-based solutions are the way to get them to do good things. But this latest development should be deployed by enviros as a rhetorical weapon to establish tougher laws that bludgeon them into doing more. This just isn’t going to be a voluntary process. Coercion is green.
Image: flickr/mararie
August 15th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
[...] multi-billion dollar solar deal should serve as a bargaining chip with Congress. Or as a hammer. From Discover Magazine: But this latest development should be deployed by enviros as a rhetorical weapon to establish [...]
August 18th, 2008 at 9:08 am
[...] That will change the political dynamic. Recalcitrant politicians who won’t vote for renewable incentives may believe they are doing some special interest a favor, but the power formula is changing. And the environmental crowd knows it. As a small piece in Discover Magazine put it, “Coercion is green.” [...]
August 23rd, 2008 at 6:42 pm
[...] more energy than all the extant solar plants in the US put together. That still isn??t as much ashttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/betterplanet/2008/08/15/solar-no-longer-a-joke/UPDATE: Lightning causes three fires in San Luis Obispo County … – San Luis Obispo Tribune8-15-08 [...]
August 26th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
[...] [...]
January 28th, 2009 at 11:05 am
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