Solar power is most definitely the energy source that can save the planet. It is of course ridiculous and short sighted to imagine the thermal version of CSP (Concentrating Solar Power) as a “be all” end all energy source that can save the world. The true conversion from a centralized fossil fuel economy to a distributed solar economy will occur as a result of Space-Based Solar Power combined with many forms of terrestrial solar power. Historically, any major conversion from one major energy technology to another, for instance wind and water, wood burning to coal, steam to internal combustion engine occur based on 3 criteria. Investment in the technology represents a “locally rational” economic decision. Investment is repaid in a relatively short time (2 years to a decade) from a reasonably reliable revenue source. These energy technologies do in fact provide a legitimate energy advantage to investors and decision makers. As a “world saving technology” CSP is hardly useful in Russia, Northern China, and North Korea. Such places where CSP is near useless, the availability of low cost energy sources lead directly to world security. In providing low cost energy systems that are useful everywhere, the entire world becomes more secure. Low cost energy quickly negates any need for war, or development of nuclear weapons as leverage, to gain access to limited and dwindling worldwide fossil fuel reserves as energy needs rise. SEG (Solar Electric Generator) is the 1980’s and 1990’s title for this technology and it has had records of many component failures, fires and low energy storage times of 3 hours and less. Heat exchangers are always problematic and even with substantial funding and many demonstration systems at Sandia National Labs cost have not dramatically decreased for this technology, rather energy prices have risen nearer to it’s high cost. (see SEG fire Barstow 1999 - http://www.renewablesg.org/docs/Web/AppendixE.pdf Equally good, maybe better and more cost effect thermal solar and concentrating solar use can be found. The Solar Island hydrogen production systems project by the technology group CSEM in Switzerland at Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates uses solar thermal to release hydrogen from sea water. http://www.solar-islands.com/ The 154 MW Victorian Power Station in Australia, a joint venture of Solar Systems, Inc. and Boeing SpectroLab, uses concentrator mirrors with high efficiency solar cells which easily withstand heat from concentrating several hundred ‘suns’ worth of solar energy. These are the highest efficiency solar cells in the world and also relieve problems associated with heat exchangers. http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=46415 The capability of Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) to provide wireless power transmission to end user devices recently recognized in the October 10, 2007, Pentagon, National Space Security Office Interim Report on Space-Based Solar Power shows SBSP can provide distributed solar energy from space that can wirelessly recharge cell phones, hybrid autos or other end user devices directly by WPT (wireless power transmission). The importance of worldwide innovation SBSP wireless power recharge of end user devices might be in the NewsTrust.net article we are asked to comment on “Can the Cell phone Help End Global Poverty?” It is no hard stretch of imagination to see where end user device recharge from space and distributed solar from simple rooftop solar modules would be most beneficial to emerging or third world economies. What good is a cell phone of you can not recharge it? What good is Internet or a laptop is you have no power? Like Internet distributed solar power systems have the advantage of leveling the playing field. http://www.acq.osd.mil/nsso/solar/SBSPInterimAssesment0.1.pdf Lastly, any centralized energy production system in the USA has an inherent 40% Electrical Transmission Systems Energy Losses. SBSP wireless power transmission recharge to end user devices and simple rooftop photovoltaic distributed energy system by nature avoid the cost of such electrical transmission system energy losses. http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/states/_seds.html http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/states/sep_sum/html/pdf/sum_btu_res.pdf In my opinion this article is more of an uninformed sales pitch for ‘thermal’ CSP than good journalism. I give it a 2-3 as spelling was good.