Stimulus Watch

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A Photoelectic power system is not what this project is.

A Concentrating Power Plant is a system with mirrors and steam lines that generate electricity with hot steam turbine.

Yes it can even work at night, by installing a salt resivoir that will change the salt to a liquid, and then run the steam generator at night by changing the salt back to a solid, most of the heat that was saved during the day when the salt was changed into a liquid. However it is more cost effective to make the power only during the daylight hours, when the electricity can sell for the most money, and then the salt heat storage and recovery equipment is not required, saving on start-up costs.

Southern California Edison Co. has been running several solar powered utility sized systems for over 20 years. Solar II generates 15 MW, while the solar system near SR 58 and SR 395 is larger. Yes there is money to be made in large solar concentrating systems such as this one. The initial cost is high, but the payback with very little cost to run the system is not very long.

Wind energy systems are more cost effective in most areas.

[edit] Points For

Concentrating PhotoVoltaic and Solar Thermal technologies, are going to make solar a better choice than fossil fuels ito security, cleanness, and economy. Especially when the carbon tax sets in.

While solar costs today are higher than carbon based energy, they have been coming down and are likely to continue down for the forseeable future. We need this technology and begining to develop it here now would put us in a lead position for the future. We are one of the best states in the country for solar energy so why not pioneer here. As oil prices rise again, and they surely will, solar will become even more attractive. PNM's use of coal puts a lot of contamination in the air that solar does not. How does one value reducing this polution?

[edit] Points Against

Though it is a beautiful part of the country and does receive what may be sufficient solar gain to build/expand this operation, the environmental costs to set it up and the potential cost per unit output would only serve to raise our overall utility costs. The technology is just not there for widespread solar systems. There are some magnificent small applications. They just do not translate well into providing reliable service at an economic cost basis. Thus the need for prepetual government support.

Takes money that could be spent on research to develop solar energy technology that works and instead wastes money on inefficient technology.