Solar Roadways

[Wesley]

I read somewhere that if every roof of every building in the US was completely covered with solar panels, it would supply about 25% of what we use (with current technology).

Solar panels are now mostly made in China. It would be a boon for them.

 

[Rhoadhoused]

The West has plenty of open spots available.

Population density map:

I'd say so. Is Nevada sunny?

 

[Cyclonepride]

I just looked up what I referred to in an earlier post and at current rates of consumption nuclear power generation would use up our supply of Uranium in 230 years, so the deduction that if we went pure nuclear we'd use up resources in something like 10-20 years is very possibly true.

I think it makes more sense to point out the issues with solar without acting as if nuclear is the better solution.

Like electric car battery tech, the biggest knocks on solar technology long term have generally been debunked by improved recycling techniques and culture over the past decade or so.

*at current production and usage levels

We should be about out of oil by now if you go by the anti-oil rhetoric of the past.

 

[Rhoadhoused]

*at current production and usage levels

We should be about out of oil by now if you go by the anti-oil rhetoric of the past.

Yeah the thing that seems to be killing green energy is that now that the US found oil in the Dakotas and natural gas from fracking, it is no longer anywhere near as competitive cost wise. We found a way to get more natural gas out of our land than we though before, and that is great energy wise but probably not great global warming wise.