OT Posted on Facebook Solar Electric to Hydrogen

[gellfex]

Iowa produces 37% of its electric power from wind, and now they are expanding to solar. But our GOP Governor wanted the GOP controlled legislators to outlaw putting solar (PV) on any ground that could be used for growing Corn!! After all this is the Corn state, lucky there were enough smarter people to nix that idea!! But they have no problem paving over good farm ground for new housing so the builders can profit.

Not to mention the fact that it takes more fossil fuel to grow the corn than the equivalent energy you get out. It's all a scam and pander to the farm lobby. We grow more commodity corn and soy than anyone knows what to do with, but no one wants to take on Iowa because, you know, caucuses.

It's stuff like that that gives green energy a bad name. Other accusations like e-cars, solar or wind turbines taking more energy to build than they savings or energy they generate are provably false.

[The Artful Bodger]

And, ultimately, everything runs on nuclear energy.

That is true but nuclear energy that we receive from the sun is 'green'. Every country has access to solar (nuclear) energy from the sun whereas some countries are not 'allowed' to have nuclear reactors et al.

[PStechPaul]

And, ultimately, everything runs on nuclear energy. The elements that make up everything tangible in the universe were created by nuclear fusion and fission in stars, and the ultimate source of energy for the earth is nuclear fusion from our own star, the sun. And our universe was created by some bored teen in his basement in an alternate universe, who figured out how to create matter and anti-matter from a quantum vacuum, which then blew up, 13.8 billion years ago.

[The Artful Bodger]

By no stretch of the imagination can Hydro electric be called solar, nor can wind.

So where does the energy come from?

Rain, wind and snow that drive the hydro and wind systems gets its energy from the atmosphec (weather) and the atmosphere is driven by energy arriving from the sun.

Saying hydro and wind systems are not solar driven is like saying a steam engine runs on water!

Yes, we do have a solar water heater on the roof.

[wmgeorge]

Iowa produces 37% of its electric power from wind, and now they are expanding to solar. But our GOP Governor wanted the GOP controlled legislators to outlaw putting solar (PV) on any ground that could be used for growing Corn!! After all this is the Corn state, lucky there were enough smarter people to nix that idea!! But they have no problem paving over good farm ground for new housing so the builders can profit.

[reggie_obe]

By no stretch of the imagination can Hydro electric be called solar, nor can wind. We are discussing solar PV or electric here directly sourced from sunlight. Yes there are solar water heaters used where you folks have warm sunshine year around.

Furthermore, there were no practical solar cell one hundred years ago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_solar_cells

[wmgeorge]

Hydro and wind power are both solar, the sun shines and makes the wind blow and the rain fall.

Natural gas reserves in NZ are not great and will probably be gone by 2050. Yes, geothermal with a few areas well supplied with natural heat and geothermal power providing about 17% of electricity.

By no stretch of the imagination can Hydro electric be called solar, nor can wind. We are discussing solar PV or electric here directly sourced from sunlight. Yes there are solar water heaters used where you folks have warm sunshine year around.

[The Artful Bodger]

Hydro and wind power are both solar, the sun shines and makes the wind blow and the rain fall.

Natural gas reserves in NZ are not great and will probably be gone by 2050. Yes, geothermal with a few areas well supplied with natural heat and geothermal power providing about 17% of electricity.

[Rich Carlstedt]

We have been using solar electric power generation in NZ for more than 100 years and it still accounts for the majority of electricity generation in this country.

Are you sure about that part of Solar ? Not to be argumentative, but how was it done before say 50 years ago ?
My understanding is that NZ has huge Geothermal assets and along with Hydro-electric , you have a lot of natural energy, but still use gas turbines in some instances
I have no idea about wind or solar - Had a friend work there 30 years ago

Rich

[Joel]

That battery is made in Vietnam. Im not sure I will be buying a battery thats made in Vietnam. No offence intended to the great people of Vietnam. More to the issue of quality control. Not always great to buy the least expensive electrical devices. JR

I bet that is an old picture, and that they are made in China.
I just went through trying to replace a bunch of the ubiquitous 12v SLA batteries, and in looking at actual descriptions, they were virtually all made in China or India. I don't have a particular problem with them being made in China, but the quality control is often quite hit or miss, and I very much avoided any made in India.
I have used many that were made in Vietnam, and have had very good luck with them - so they are now my preferred country of origin. Go figure.
I didn't even see anything made in any western countries, but if I had, seriously doubt that I could afford them, or that they would be cost effective in any way (factoring life vs cost).

[The Artful Bodger]

What did surprise me was the 100 year point. I had no idea solar was around for that long. And that they dont use wind as the primary power generator. I thought it was windy there JR

Hydro power is solar power. Wind power too is of course solar. I suppose one could say oil and gas is stored solar energy but not nuclear which is energy left over from the creation of the universe.

Wind power is about 6% of NZ power production.

[JRouche]

Ah, but earlier this week I saw an item in the SF Chronicle that for a short time (hour or two in the afternoon) California (the whole state) was running 100% on renewable power. Solar, wind, and I suppose hydroelectric.

So what'll we see in ten years?

-js

I didnt see that one. That is significant seeing how Calif. has a large population but also a large manufacturing base which probably uses more energy than the people themselves.

Also, I wanna make sure I was not diminishing what NZ is doing, very commendable.. What did surprise me was the 100 year point. I had no idea solar was around for that long. And that they dont use wind as the primary power generator. I thought it was windy there JR

[Jim Stewart]

That is easy to do. For a total population of 5 million. The State I live in (calif) has 40 million people. Just one state. Heck, Alabama has as many people as NZ.. JR

Ah, but earlier this week I saw an item in the SF Chronicle that for a short time (hour or two in the afternoon) California (the whole state) was running 100% on renewable power. Solar, wind, and I suppose hydroelectric.

So what'll we see in ten years?

-js

[JRouche]

Walmart has 100 A-h (1200 W-h) deep cycle SLAs for about $180, which is $0.15/W-h.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mighty-Max-12V-100AH-Battery-for-Solar-Wind-Deep-Cycle-VRLA-12V-24V-48V/179446910

That battery is made in Vietnam. Im not sure I will be buying a battery thats made in Vietnam. No offence intended to the great people of Vietnam. More to the issue of quality control. Not always great to buy the least expensive electrical devices. JR

[JRouche]

We have been using solar electric power generation in NZ for more than 100 years and it still accounts for the majority of electricity generation in this country.

That is easy to do. For a total population of 5 million. The State I live in (calif) has 40 million people. Just one state. Heck, Alabama has as many people as NZ.. JR