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Arizona Public Service recently announced that it will contract to build a huge thermal solar energy plant near Gila Bend.
The plant will produce 280 mega (million) watts, enough to supply 70,000 homes. That's some serious energy.
For decades, hopes for alternative energy have been raised and dashed, over and over.
This plant, which will start producing electrical power by 2011, is the grail so many have sought. This is an alternative energy project that will actually work.
Thermal installations use the sun's heat to generate electricity, while photovoltaic systems convert the sun's light into electricity. The thermal process is much more efficient and economically feasible. Oil and natural gas can produce a kilowatt of electricity for about 10.5 cents, solar thermal can do it for about 13 cents, and photovoltaic costs about 30 cents.
I've put up solar panels, built a windmill, installed solar water heaters and picked jojoba beans for alternative diesel fuel. But nothing ever worked in a way that was economically feasible for large-scale use.
Dreaming and believing is good but, being a former engineer, I understand that when the physics just isn't there, reality has to be faced.
Wanting to believe too much makes us vulnerable to pandering politicians, media that don't investigate and flimflam artists looking for a quick buck. It can be a perfect storm.
A clear example is the ethanol disaster. Ethanol producing facilities have been built throughout the Midwest, and politicians, the media and citizens all fell for the scam.
The diversion of corn to subsidized ethanol production is the major cause of the rapid food price inflation now ravaging our country.
A little research and honesty would have shown that corn cannot economically produce motor vehicle fuel because the process takes more energy than is produced. Consumers and taxpayers will pay dearly for years to come.
Hydrogen power, often sensationalized by the media, can be used on spaceships and car prototypes, where cost is no object. But again, it takes more energy to produce hydrogen than the hydrogen contains.
About 30 years ago, a flash flood of solar energy fervor swept through Arizona. It was a feeding frenzy as solar installers sprung up to spend the free subsidy money.
But in less than a decade, the installers had all but disappeared, and virtually none of the solar installations survived. Hundreds of millions of dollars were squandered. We can't let such things happen again.
Residential use of photovoltaic cells should be encouraged because it is truly benefits the environment. But neither taxpayers nor ratepayers should be forced to subsidize it.
Given current technology, the panels will never pay for themselves. Lack of payback may not be important to an individual homeowner, but society can't justify the tax and rebate system that transfers wealth from generally poorer people to generally richer people.
Instead, that subsidy money should be put toward development and construction of more Gila Bend-type facilities that will benefit everyone.
Thermal technology is far more cost-efficient and will actually return the investment.
A conventional power plant uses natural gas or coal to boil water, driving a steam turbine, which turns an electrical generator.
In a thermal solar plant, mirrors focus the sun's heat to boil water, and the rest of the operation is like a conventional plant. The technology is much more robust and permanent than photovoltaic technology.
The Spanish company that will build the plant has just finished one near Boulder City and has considerable experience.
But it's tragic that a state with lofty solar aspirations can't get the job done locally. It's not rocket science. The technology has been around a long time. Tucson Electric Power operated a smaller thermal plant 80 years ago.
Everyone who supports solar should urge our governor, corporation commissioners, legislators and members of Congress to stop all of the nickel-and-dime rebates and subsidies that will ultimately dissipate massive amounts of money. If all of these funds were combined, we'd be well on our way to solar world leadership.
The Legislature can easily create a sports authority. Why not a power plant authority?
Our members of Congress should carve out an exemption for our uniquely qualified solar state, so federal alternative energy subsidies go to our power authority.
A publicly owned solar power authority would be a true gift to our state. Our taxpayers, businesses and ratepayers would have an advantage for years.
Solar thermal plants produce no pollution, and, after the plant is built, the fuel is free. Let's get to work, Arizona.
John Kromko is a community and environmental activist who served in the Legislature for 14 years.
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