NPR had the story this morning of a Spanish energy system which -- well, please build one in my neighborhood, please!
Here's part of the story:
"The technology is called concentrated solar thermal energy, which means it uses heat from the sun to run steam turbine generators. And running it doesn't generate any greenhouse gases.
"There's not a cloud in the sky on the dusty plain outside Seville. But in the distance, there's a glow from what looks like an upside-down funnel of light beams converging on a sleek, white tower.
"Those light beams come from giant mirrors on the ground reflecting the sun's rays.
"It's the world's first solar thermal power plant — and it's called PS-10.
"'PS-10 is an 11-megawatt electric power plant and it's providing electricity for a population of about 6,000 houses,' says Valerio Fernandez, the engineer in charge of the plant built by the Spanish renewable energy company, Abengoa. The plant has been operational since March 2006 and is still being expanded...." more here...
