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"Questions of power or dependence, wealth or poverty, privilege or equality, destruction or survival of human societies, have always been decided by that key criterion of who has access to energy."

- Economist Dr. Hermann Scheer, A Solar Manifesto

Who Owns the Sun?, Daniel M. Berman and John T. O'Connor, Chelsea Green, $20

A book about people, politics, and the struggle for a solar economy. It explains how democratic control of solar energy is the key to revitalizing America and putting power back into the hands of local people.
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ENERGY

Part I--Solve this problem, and we attenuate every other problem humans have, including infectious diseases. This is where to place the fulcrum.

Second Law of Thermodynamics: Entropy increases with the greater the heat loss in the conversion. The greater the entropy rate, the faster energy resources become unusable. Therefore convert energy with the lowest heat loss. Lowering thermal pollution reduces chaos; reduces environmental disorder.

'Especially bad when adding carbon to the environment.

E = mc(2) Remember that. Photons are your best friend. They are your childrens' future potential to survive what we've done to this planet. Take 'em, they're free. Think about how stupid it is to pump oil out of the ground, ship it, refine it, and blow it up, dispersing gases that inhibit the potential of trees to turn it back into oxygen and sugars, and raising the temperature of the atmosphere of the earth, solubilizing what would be more stable (reduce the rate of entropy), kept in a solid form. Think about how stupid it is to spend 130 billion dollars to make guns to protect the remaining 50 year global supply of it. 130 billion US dollars is how many kilojoules of oil? It's a bit like emptying the well to water your lawn, while your house burns down.

E = mc(2) You can't do anything without the E. You can't even think a thought. You can't go anywhere, buy anything, wash a dish, make a bed, plant a tomato. You can make no investment without some expenditure from your personal and peripheral E source.

Part II-- Don't expect US Government brainless bureaucrats to be either interested in or capable of solving Part I, even when it is their job.

We have a "Centers for Disease Control".

'Nuf said.

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GOOD: Docs and Fact Sheets http://www.energylan.sandia.gov/sunlab/documents.htm

WGBH MIT FORUM, ECONOMY FUTURE http://streams.wgbh.org/forum/forum.php?organization=Massachusetts+Institute+of+Technology

DON'T MISS: http://streams.wgbh.org/forum/forum.php?lecture_id=1104

basics: http://www.solaraccess.com/education/index.jsp

Basics "Start here. It's where you get the no-frills basics on renewable energy."

ENERGY SOURCES AND PRODUCTION (dot-gub'ment)

http://www.energy.gov/

http://www.energy.gov/sources/index.html

http://www.eere.energy.gov/

PHOTOVOLTAICS dot-gub http://www.eere.energy.gov/state_energy/technology_overview.cfm?techid=1

MILLION SOLAR ROOFS CAMPAIGN http://www.millionsolarroofs.com/

NORTHEAST SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ASSOCIATION http://www.nesea.org/

HYDROGEN FUEL CELL TEST FACILITY IN HAWAII: http://www.solaraccess.com/news/story?storyid=4246&siteid=1565

United Technologies

PATENT DATABASE

SOLAR CONCENTRATORS

PORTABLE HYDROELECTRIC

WINDMILLS_jet

The Coolest (I mean, you know...this is something like what I was looking for, and the patent is from 1993. Seems simpler than convex traps. Something to think about. Someplace safe. Islands are good. Channel off at ~1/2 its refactive index....convert to mechanical potential):

"The atmospheric index profile in the target region may be modulated so as to produce a solar energy concentrator in the form of an atmospheric lens. More specifically, the index of refraction may be modulated so as to produce an atmospheric index profile approximating a Fresnel lens. It is to be noted that the lens may be or virtually any size, whereby the lens may be adapted to the energy collection requirements of the particular application. Commercial solar energy collection by power companies, for example, may call for larger lenses. However, it is to be noted, that several interspaced atmospheric lenses may be generated, focusing the sun's energy onto the same collector.

"As discussed hereinabove, the lens generating radiation source, the directing components, the control algorithms and componentry, the sensors and the turbulence compensation circuitry and software are preferably on the earth's surface and fixed thereto. However, it is possible that one or more of these components are provided in an air vessel(s) or sea-going ship(s) and/or satellite(s).

According to one embodiment of the present invention, laser radiation is transmitted from a plurality of different sources to the atmospheric region. Accordingly, a plurality of lasers may generate different portions of the same concentrator or lens.

United States Patent	5,269,288
Stirbl , et al.	December 14, 1993

Method and apparatus for generating atmospheric solar energy concentrator

Abstract

A system for collecting solar radiation includes a laser source for emitting, along a preselected path, radiation having a wavelength absorbable by at least one type of atmospheric molecule. Radiation directing components such as lenses or deformable mirror segments are disposed in the transmission path for directing the laser radiation from the source to a predetermined target region of the atmosphere located a pre-established distance above a surface of the earth. Control componentry is operatively connected to the directing components for controlling the operation thereof to modulate an index of refraction of air in the predetermined target region of the atmosphere to produce in that region a predetermined refractive index pattern such as an atmospheric Fresnel lens for concentrating incoming solar radiation on a solar energy collector. The control componentry is operatively connected to the laser source for timing the emission of radiation therefrom. Sensors are provided for detecting the distribution of the radiation concentration by the atmospheric lens. Feedback circuitry is operatively connected to the sensors and to the beam directing components for modifying the operation thereof in response to signals from the sensors to compensate in real time for changes in atmospheric refractive index arising from atmospheric turbulence, thereby optimizing concentration of solar radiation by the atmospheric region onto the collector.

Inventors:	Stirbl; Robert C. (247 Wadsworth Ave., New York, NY 10033); Wilk; Peter J. (185 West End Ave., New York, NY 10023)
Appl. No.:	070680
Filed:	June 2, 1993

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the collection of solar energy. More particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for concentrating solar energy.

It is well known that, with the exception of nuclear power, all of the energy on the earth originates with the sun. Extensive efforts in recent decades have been directed to harnassing solar radiation. Such efforts have resulted in huge mirrors erected on the earth's surface for concentrating incoming solar radiation on energy collectors. Another result of the continuing interest in solar energy is the development of solar cells and the arrangement of such cells in different configurations to convert the solar radiation into electricity. Yet another area of development in the field of solar energy is solar panels for converting solar radiation into heat energy.

One well known natural phenomenon is the bending of light waves by heated air. Light refracting convection currents are observable, for example, over road surfaces. The convection currents cause a shimmering or wavering effect in the perception of distant objects across roads or other heated surfaces.

The problem with such convection currents, as other natural phenomena, is that they are essentially uncontrollable. The variation in the index of refraction caused by localized heating of earth bound surfaces is random and unpredictable.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for concentrating solar radiation for purposes of energy collection.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an associated apparatus or system for concentrating and collecting solar energy.

Another, more particular, object of the present invention is to provide such a method and associated apparatus which controls the atmospheric index of refraction profile within a predetermined region of the earth's atmosphere to thereby redistribute incoming solar radiation so as to concentrate the radiation at a pre-established location.

A further particular object of the present invention is to provide such a method and assocaited apparatus which at least partially compensates for atmospheric turbulence.

YaleLasers