Week 5 material

1. How a PV Cell Works

2. Solar Concentrator Systems

3. Solar Thermal Electric

4. Solar CSP siting and development process

5. American Southwest Potential

   One feasible target:

   Building just 80 GW of CSP capacity -- a target that is achievable by 2030 with sufficient public policy suppor-- would produce enough electricity to power approximately 25 million homes and reduce carbon dioxide emissions from U.S. electric power plants by 6.6 percent compared to year 2000 levels. Solar thermal power can make even greater contributions in the years to come--precisely the time when the nation must achieve deep cuts in global warming pollution.

   However, at a cost of 4$ per watt this is a capital investment of 320 billion dollars. But, spent over a 20 year period this is 16 billion dollars a year to build this.

   Still, 16 billion dollars a year is a significant investment an likely more than the private sector can sustain. This is the issue.