The above image is created and licensed by afloresm.

Thanks to fears about global warming, renewable energy is on more people’s minds than ever. More importantly, it’s on the minds of a lot of business executives as well. The public and businesses want more carbon-free energy. I’ve written positively about the nuclear power, but had to admit that it has some drawbacks (though I still think the safety concern is far overblown). I’ve also blogged about the inefficacy of biofuels. One of the biggest downsides to biofuels is rearing it’s ugly head right now. Additionally, hype about a hydrogen economy is unfounded. Hydrogen technology ends up being a very expensive, inefficient, potentially explosive battery. Finally, photovoltaic (solar) and wind power have proved to be too expensive, too unreliable, and produce too little power.

So, I’ve abandoned hope on alternative fuels hyped by ‘environmentalists’ and I also championed nuclear power as a stop-gap measure until a better technology comes along. Have I abandoned my liberal ways and registered with the Republican party? No. I’m just a realist. However, I have just learned of a renewable, carbon-free alternative that is already in use that could meet the current demands of the developed world and the growing demands. It’s smoke and mirrors; more accurately steam and mirrors…

The technology is called concentrated solar power (CSP) or, alternatively solar thermal power. Salon.com has a very good article about CSP on which this post is based. The basic idea has been around since ancient times. Basically, it uses mirrors to concentrate sunlight in one spot; in this case to heat up a fluid (oil or molten salt). The heat is then used to evaporate water in steam powered turbine.

This method of energy production (energy capture and conversion, really) has several advantages:

• The fuel source is the sun (no fuel costs!)
• No carbon emissions nor any other pollutant
• In fact, no waste products at all
• Efficient energy storage
• Little fresh water use
• Does not compete with food sources
• Financially viable

The fourth item is what makes this technology stand out from the other renewable power sources. Wind, solar, and hydroelectric. Those technologies produce pure electricity, which is 20 to 100 times more expensive to store than thermal energy. CSP directly produces heat. This is what makes this alternative energy it’s financial viability. Once CSP plants reach economies of scale (estimated to occur in the next five years), the cost is estimated to be about 9 cents per kilowatt-hour. That beats nuclear and is comparable with coal, the cheapest energy source. It’s advantage will only become greater as carbon emissions become regulated, driving coal power costs up.

The only real disadvantage of this power source is that it can only be done in sunny areas. The good news is that 8,500 square miles of land in the Southeast would be more than adequate to power all of the United States. This would require an investment to upgrade our power distribution network, but considering the benefits, that investment would give a hefty payoff.

Finally, a power source I can get behind moral, emotionally, and fiscally!