Re:Cost-effective solar (Score 1)

This is a fundamental problem. All electricity generation damages the planet. (There is simply no way around this!) I do understand that solar is totally clean after manufacture, but the manufacturing costs in entirety (including usage of clean water, electricity costs, and air pollution) are greater than the net benefit of the electricity. Therefore the best place for Solar is places where the cost of getting electricity there by other means is less prohibitive. Snaking aluminium or copper wires around isnt very environmentally friendly either. OTOH - there are some technologies that have been developed that have DEFINATE net benifits. These aren't as sexy, or clean shaven as solar, but upon reflection they are a neat idea. http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rp/2000-01/01RP 08.htm#box3 http://www.solarmissiontechnologies.com/project.ht m