A Solar Grand Plan

By 2050 solar power could end U.S. dependence on foreign oil and slash greenhouse gas emissions

Solar energy's potential is off the chart. The energy in sunlight striking the earth for 40 minutes is equivalent to global energy consumption for a year. The U.S. is lucky to be endowed with a vast resource; at least 250,000 square miles of land in the Southwest alone are suitable for constructing solar power plants, and that land receives more than 4,500 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) of solar radiation a year. Converting only 2.5 percent of ... Full Story »

Posted by Kaizar Campwala

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Review

Gaurang Thakkar
4.6
by Gaurang Thakkar - Oct. 1, 2008

The story provides and excellent jumping off point for a really serious discussion of this important topic. It educates, informs and proselytizes in equal measure without talking down to the reader. It does however lack a detailed discussion of the major obstacle to the take up of such a proposal: political will and how to counter the lobbying efforts of entrenched interests. These lobbying effects are formidable as witnessed by the recent successful lobbying by auto manufacturers against States freedom to impose emission limits.

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Gaurang's Rating

Overall
4.6

Very good
from 13 answers
Quality
4.5
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5.0
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5.0
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4.0
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5.0
Style
5.0
Accuracy
5.0
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4.0
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4.0
Popularity
5.0
Recommendation
5.0
Credibility
5.0
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