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From: KEN@NJITCCCC.BITNET (Kenneth Ng)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Solar energy
Message-ID: <8603120749.AA01522@s1-b.arpa>
Date: Wed, 12-Mar-86 02:38:00 EST
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Posted: Wed Mar 12 02:38:00 1986
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A few tidbits I've picked up on solar energy, taken from "The
Health Hazards of NOT Going Nuclear", by Petr Beckman.
At best, the concentration of solar energy is 1 kilowatt per
square meter.  Current solar technology is about 10% efficient,
theoritical maximum efficiency is 22%.  Allowing a 50% spacing
between solar collectors to allow for repair and shadows, and you
have a solar power plant 50 square miles big to generate 1000
megawatts of power.  I'm quite sure that even if a fusion reactor
needs an Astrodome to fit in, that it will not span 50 square miles.