Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Department of Interior to set up "Solar Hotspots" in the Tainted Desert

It appears that the Western US deserts are not the barren, useless lands that the US government though they were at the beginning of the nuclear energy projects; they are now being mapped off in order to establish massive solar energy plants that will ultimately have the capability to power up to 7 million homes. Proponents of the solar energy initiative hope that it will provide a substantial solution to the renewable energy problem, as well as creating lasting jobs in the West.



More can be read about the Hotspot setup here: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/24/interior-names-solar-hot-spots-out-west/?ref=earth
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2 comments:

  1. UnknownJuly 24, 2012 at 7:14 PM

    I love the idea of our Government trying to set up solar energy plants. I have to wonder if there have been any improvements made in solar panels though. Last time I checked, solar panels are very inefficient (40% efficiency) and require routine maintenance. Also, solar panels usually last about 25 years and then have to be disposed of properly. Some components are toxic and do not recycle easily. Does the government have something in mind for this? Below is a link to this exact problem in Asia.

    http://www.treehugger.com/corporate-responsibility/the-dark-side-of-solar-panels.html

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  2. Ada WhiteJuly 24, 2012 at 8:21 PM

    I think its cool that the government is looking into mass use of solar panels. This puts american desserts to use, creates jobs and helps the environment. Hopefully it will reduce our dependence on foreign oil. I see that Ricky discussed disposal and efficiency which are valid points and should be things the government works on from the beginning of set up, but I'm just glad we are moving in the right direction!

    Ada White

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