From: dpe@inel.gov (Don Palmrose)
Subject: Re: Solar vs. Nuclear
Organization: INEL EG&G Idaho
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 93 23:21:28 GMT

In article <1993Jan3.013947.25856@organpipe.uug.arizona.edu>, 471-1@.arizona.edu (E. Shane Jimerfield) writes:
> 
> Here are a few questions that went through my mind the other
> day ( so I thought I'd post them).
> 
> Why isn't Solar Power getting the attention that it deserves? 
>

The answer is real simple:  cost.

Solar energy is on the verge of making an impact. IMO the only thing stopping
further use commercially is the cost of putting in solar energy vs. the cost
of building more energy efficient houses with the current electrical and gas
rates.  Until this makes a cross-over, solar will only be used in
demonstration homes.

> 
>   Is it because people in Nuclear think they are doing a great
>   service to society?
> 

This is not stopping solar power.  Of course, I and other engineers think that
we are doing a great service to society just like all of the other 
professionals of this country.  If we didn't think that way, in part, we 
would not be working in this area.  

>   Do the students of Nuclear power think that studying Nuclear
>   is the only real challenge for their brain?
> 

No, but it is one that combines several disciplines and that for me makes it
challenging.  If there were more commercialization and that it was clear that
a major breakthrough in lowering the cost of manufacture vs performance just
happened, you would see more people moving into "solar engineering".

> 
> Why don't all you people working in Nuclear put your, obviously,
> brilliant minds to work on Solar Power.

Offer me a good salary and a long term position working on solar power and
I would accept it just like I would accept a similar position working
on fusion power (and I would take the fusion position over the solar one,
hands down).  But as to my first item, there is not wide-spread 
commercialization, so work in solar power is solely regulated to a small group
of researchers and initial commercial developers.

> -- 
> Take 'er easy.... Shane
> .watch out for the lightning (a large-scale high-tension natural electric
> discharge in the atmosphere)......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> ..informal... a sudden usually improbable stroke of fortune.......
> 
> 

Remember, Shane, whether it is research funding or attracting students to a
particular field of study, follow the money trail.  If money can be made in
solar power, then it will be used more.  Its really that pure and simple (IMO 
of course).

Don Palmrose





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