[geeks] [rescue] Computerfests (was: first real server hardware) -OT

[wa2egp at att.net]

> On Apr 28, 2004, at 8:39 AM, wa2egp at att.net wrote:
> 
> >> You could, but solar is tough to manage in real time.  You'd need some
> >> sort of intermediate storage.  Hydrogen fuel cell maybe?  You could
> >> use an array of mirrored parabolic dishes to focus sunlight onto
> >> a boiler or something... but again it would only work when the sun is
> >> shining and if it clouded up your boiler would cool off and you'd
> >> have to heat it up all over again.
> >
> > If that means you can't get when you want it, then store what you get.
> > If you get enough plants, you'll always have "excess".
> 
> I saw a proposal to use microwaves or lasers to beam power from solar 
> powered satellites to heat a boiler which would then generate 
> electricity.  I'm not sure if this would be 'better' or 'worse' than 
> simply beaming the same power to a rectenna or solar array for 
> collection.

I'd worry about aiming.  "Oh no! We just cooked Des Moines!"  (Yes, I know
the beam would not be that narrow but perception makes the difference.)