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The clearest source of energy you've never imagined

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The energy source that was (literally) under my nose as a 7-year old burning birch bark by redirecting a carefully-focussed stream of the sun's energy through a magnifying glass: *solar thermal energy*, duh...

And what's better, these engineers have perked the ears of the companies that help fuel the innovators of the world--the venture capital investors--to get behind the emerging technology.

It's not widely proven yet (besides every day as ants are 'torchered' by 7-year olds with magnifying glasses), but with the biggest VC firms and Google.org behind this one, they'll be able to give it a good run to prove viability. I'll be watching--wide-eyed.

Check out this article, and do your clean energy dance for this one (then post the video, pls. ; )

Jake
jwhitcom

29 responses // The clearest source of energy you've never imagined

  • Beautiful!
    recommended by  Chique
    CarolynGillis
  • amazing. we can do anything.
    twodee
  • I think something like this should only be build in desert areas because in the four to eight or so acre area this takes over it's very difficult for plant life to grow. Thats why I feel that large scale turbine projects can live more harmoniously in the environment compared to the other green energies.
    ivxx
  • This is the kind of innovation that needs to be exploited and perfected. I agree with ivxx, perhaps it may infringe on plant life, but imagine if we could exploit the technology, but reduce the size.
    kDrew_Productions
  • Well if you increase efficiency, keep the size the same then you'll be producing more power. I guess the point I'm trying to make is just because something is "green" doesn't mean it doesn't still has an impact and that impact can always be reduced.
    ivxx
  • Great points - and this brings up one of the most important considerations in the energy debate: externalities.

    Cape Wind is scrutinized by 'true blue' environmentalists as being a hazard to migratory bird populations (even though the Audubon Society dismissed this as a minor threat), and land owners on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, claimed their land value would be diminished.

    I'd imagine, in the wake of the Cape Wind debates, that careful consideration of negative externalities (like the ones ivxx points out) will need to be publicly addressed from the outset.
    -Jake
    jwhitcom
  • What about deploying solar thermal energy collecting farms in space that beam the energy down to earth from satellites via lasers or microwaves?
    mwald
  • Google is poised to take over the world -- but mad props on using clean energy to do it!
    mransom
  • could be great news ..what is the liquid they are using?
    mcwally
  • watch this comment being used here, here, here, here and here
    This is great, with this and planting billions of trees, i think we can get back onto the right road with keeping this planet healthy.
    dmass5
  • mwald: I always hear that "if it's a good idea, others will have it"... and they have! The U.S. Pentagon has considered a space solar station--the greatest benefit, they report, is the ability to 'send' power to troops based around the world. Interesting: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18056610/

    mrandsom: Agreed - Google.org is Google's philanthropic "do good" arm, but the real twist is that they also invest in for-profit ventures such as the energy innovators from the article.

    mcwally: Good question - I was curious, too, so I looked around a bit and found that the liquid they are currently using is liquid sodium, described in Wikipedia as such: "Sodium is a metal with a high heat capacity, allowing that energy to be stored and drawn off throughout the evening. That energy can, in turn, be used to boil water for use in steam turbines. Water had originally been used as a heat transfer medium in earlier power tower versions (where the resultant steam was used to power a turbine). This system did not allow for power generation when the sun is not shining."
    jwhitcom
  • Fabulous. If humans can figure out what goes on inside of an atom, surely they can figure out how to get energy from that great ball of fire in the sky.
    Julie_Soller
  • To McWally:

    I'd make a guess that the liquid that they are using for this is ammonia due to its low boiling point and the fact that its affordable.
    bWitty
  • http://www.esolar.com/index.html
    Image...
    It will always come back down to the cost to build and the cost to maintain what you build as to the true potential of your green energy idea.

    Often the maintain part is missing or extremely costly.

    I prefer something local, ideally on the home, or near the community you wish to serve, but again it is important to be able to maintain whatever you design.

    Both wind and solar require the ideal conditions so this does become a factor that must be mindful in DEV.

    I simply see so many advances in Solar Research now I can't keep up with it all. My feeling is the very best solutions are still on the drawing board as the bio-composite aspects are enhanced.

    The secret to reduce the cost of the base materials.

    I guess it comes down to how you want to spend your green money. To each his or her own.

    However it is done.

    THE GREEN FUTURE COMES SOON NOW.





    1Eco_Media
  • this is a great idea but it isnt a new one. The italians and especially the Spanish have been doing this for years. In fact Madrid is run during the day by about 3 huge solar towers. The biggest concern is trying to find way to keep the generator running during extensive cloudy days and at night, once they can figure that out (perhaps wind and solar power combo?) then itll be a fool proof, very little overhead project thatll help save the environment
    alman365
  • http://www.geotimes.org/apr08/article.html?id=feature_s...
    Image...
    We've had a solar tower plant in California since the early 80's, which shows this can be cost effective now. It's not perfect, but when compared with dangerous technology like nuclear power, it comes pretty close.

    http://www.azsolarcenter.com/links/faqs/solar.pdf

    I can imagine a world where we put a solar plant on an Indian Reservation, instead of a uranium or coal mine or toxic waste dump. The U.S. government won't let the natives farm hemp on their own lands today, let's let them farm the sun tomorrow. The displaced plants and animals will thank us in the long run with their majestic diversity, and who knows, maybe even rivers full of salmon again.
    covelogibbs
  • I love solar tech! If anyone has seen "Who killed the Electric Car?" at the end of the film there's this awesome older inventor (who looks like the nicest old guy youd ever meet) who invented solar 'roofing tiles' that go on top of your house!! how sweet is that? If you havent seen that movie- i'd see it!

    I can imagine a day when we all create our own energy for our own houses (wind, solar, water, alcohol, whatever...) and theres plenty for anything we'd ever need to do! Theres engines now that are so close to the holy grail 'free energy' that physicists theorize about that it doesnt even seem believable!

    I think its because of these advances that oil companies have made up their minds that they have got to make as much money as they can on all the consumers before we all get wise & shut down this old system! Why do we need to be enslaved by it anymore?
    LibertyNo5
  • SWEET! for all you tree hugers out there this is the way of the future! i am looking forward to see who this all works out! this could help use in so many aspects of life!
    currentkid
  • @twodee
    Yeah we "can" do anything...question is "will" we?
    ipodrulz
  • The technology is nothing new, Google and other big business backing it is.
    Also jwhitcom, was your misspelling of the word "Tortured" on line seven of your post intentional? If it is, then thats a clever bit of wordplay.
    Dmitri_Molotov
  • that was in the movie sahara...not exactly new
    diode
  • Yea! great!
    Of course until the NIMBY's and tree huggers come forward.

    Also very expensive.
    anthonyvop
  • Tidal/Wave power is the future in my opinion, the ocean is in constant motion 24 hours a day, this motion could easily be used to drive pistons to generate power. Wind and solar are great but neither is 24/7 in one spot.
    observer2121
  • makes PERFECT sense.
    please god let it catch on.
    ssppeencceerr
  • sweet, I hope it reall happens and doesn't get bought out by GE or Bell just to be shut down or turned into something crappy...
    onechance
  • i always thought it was wierd that solar panels only produce energy using the sun's light & none of the heat is captured for anything.

    in the near future i'd love to see outdoor air conditioning in the desert!)

    get your efficiency up!
    blackdaylight
  • Great post..thanks for the information.
    krag2112
  • Who's going to keep all those mirrors clean?
    CampKohler
  • CampKohler, you're hired dude, bring the newspaper...
    onechance

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