Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message

That 6hr/day could align nicely with the 2nd/3rd shift when you'd have
to run the fossil fuel boilers anyway. You'd still be cutting some 33%
of both your fuel consumption and your emissions. Again, you are the
only one saying 100% solar, I have consistently said ~33% solar. What
would 33% of your annual oil/gas consumption amount to in $? Probably a
hefty chunk of change towards building the daytime solar boiler.

We spent about 200,000 last year so the savings potential is $66,000. That
is assuming you get 33%. I'd guess we'd be closer to 20% considering
weather in New England. Sure, that would be a good savings, but what is the
equipment cost? You seem to have missed that question. Where does it get
installed and what has to be done to the infrastructure for it? What is the
heat potential?

Seems to me, if it was that simple and cost effective power plants around
the world would be using it.

Now if I have room for molten salt tanks, this may work
http://gizmodo.com/362271/280+megawa...ller-technique

I don't know the equipment cost offhand, but tracking down info on the
existing commercial solar stem electric plants in CA would provide a
wealth of information. Given the relative simplicity of motorized
mirrors reflecting the sun onto a collector tower, and lack of exotic
technologies, it may be less than you'd think.

As for location, it goes on your existing roof. Indeed if you have A/C
units up there to keep your plant comfortable, the shade provided by the
reflector array could significantly reduce the A/C cost as well. The
solar energy that is absorbed by all roofs is not only wasted, in most
cases it is a negative as well.

If we put appropriate solar energy collection devices on our existing
rooftops we can make significant gains in reducing demand for other
fuels and energy at the points of consumption, reducing demand on energy
that must be transported like electricity, gas or oil, as well as
without requiring more land to site collectors.

The other hurdle we need to get past is the all too common idea that if
you can't replace 100% of your energy needs with RE it isn't worth
pursuing at all.