Comments on: What excellent news

By: Pogo

Pogo — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:47:00 +0000

T.R.M… Milligan’s memoirs might be more appropriate for these mad times.

By: The Remittance Man

The Remittance Man — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:51:56 +0000

Dearieme,

Can’t see a problem there. For some reason us Brits have always liked fighting in the desert. Been quite successful at it too.

Time to dig out the old desert boots and dust off my copy of Monty’s memoirs.

By: Pogo

Pogo — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:02:06 +0000

Serf..

Ah! Gotcha.

I was assuming from Mr W’s enthusiasm that it was going to be some variation on photovoltaic – and thus might drive demand for his rare metals enterprise.

By: Serf

Serf — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:16:12 +0000

Pogo

The system uses heat storage, plus we need much less at night.

By: Luis Enrique

Luis Enrique — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:42:44 +0000

yes we are far better off having our power in the hands of Russia, Venezuela, Nigeria, Iran, Saudi Arabia etc. etc.

I agree security is important, but Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt are no more risky than the current set-up.

there appear to be people on this thread doubting whether firms like Siemens, sinking billions into this idea, understand the rudiments of the technology.

By: Lord T

Lord T — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:50:41 +0000

and of course having your power at the control of a third world third party sounds sensible never mind the fact the distribution goes through countries that want to control us. Including one that strikes every year to get its own way.

Nothing can go wrong with this project at all.

By: Pogo

Pogo — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:41:34 +0000

“Solar thermal”…????

Have you ever been in the Sahara at night?

It’s f-ing freezing.

By: The Great Simpleton

The Great Simpleton — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:58:32 +0000

If global warming alarmists are correct by 2050 it will be much sunnier in Europe so why not just wait and build them here? As you keep pointing out, it should be cheaper by then as well.

By: dearieme

dearieme — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:46:49 +0000

Then we’ll have to send troops to guard the installations, then…….

By: Pogo

Pogo — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:27:08 +0000

aims to provide 15% of Europe’s electricity by 2050

At night as well?

That would be really clever.

Tim adds: Yes, at night as well: that’s why they’re going for solar thermal not solar PV.

By: Luis Enrique

Luis Enrique — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:14:10 +0000

sorry, should be $80 externality, above

By: Luis Enrique

Luis Enrique — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:13:39 +0000

well we don’t require it to be profitable without any subsidies, because as any fool knows, subsidies can be appropriate in presence of externalities …. however a $1000 price distortion to correct an $80 subsidy, if that is the case, would look excessive.

(N.B I think there’s an argument for up front subsidy to fund experimentation and discovery, and get “learning-by-doing” started earlier that it would be otherwise)