I really can't understand all you chearleaders for this project. Did none of you ever pass basic math class? Maybe economics was never part of your school curriculum?
Even when calculating a cost per kilowatt hour that keeps pace with a reasonable projection for inflation (4% per annum), this thing will take over 100 years to pay back its investment. Do any of you *really* believe this installation will still be up & running, as is, from it's initial $.13mm cost, in more than a century??
This is nothing but a waste of taxpayer money on a symbolic project -- you might as well spend the same money to grace the Portland waterfront with sculptures for the "environmental impact" it will have. From a political standpoint it's great -- every politician who voted for this can now slap a "Green" label on their candidacy, and point to a nice big shiny thing alongside the highway, where everyone can see. All of this in one of the more rainy states in the country.
Oh, I know, I know... It's important we send a message, and we have to start somewhere, and besides, it's for the children. Spare me.
There are roads in California (a relatively YOUNG state) that have been there for well over a hundred years (El Camino, Alameda De Las Pulgas) and stretch across a large portion of the state.
I don't see why these roads won't be fundamentally in the same location for the next 100 years and beyond.
It's easy to paint a near-future with giant technological leaps but the bottom line is we've been driving cars for 100 years and there's nothing out there that looks like it will change things soon.
With less maintenance than just about ANY other energy project this structure could be dribbling in electricity for well beyond the projected 100 years.
while you take inflation into account you failed to add in fossil fuels prices in the future. while natural gas is still cheap it has seen a huge increase in price even though prices are down now. we know they will be up in 20 years. since you or I can't predict the future who knows what will happen. wars and terrorist attacks can cause energy prices to shoot up.
remember it's a start. start building these along all highways and suddenly you have a nationwide solar plant using minimal space.
remember people were quick to hate on "horseless" carriages and look how that turn out.
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I really can't understand all you chearleaders for this project. Did none of you ever pass basic math class? Maybe economics was never part of your school curriculum?
Even when calculating a cost per kilowatt hour that keeps pace with a reasonable projection for inflation (4% per annum), this thing will take over 100 years to pay back its investment. Do any of you *really* believe this installation will still be up & running, as is, from it's initial $.13mm cost, in more than a century??
This is nothing but a waste of taxpayer money on a symbolic project -- you might as well spend the same money to grace the Portland waterfront with sculptures for the "environmental impact" it will have. From a political standpoint it's great -- every politician who voted for this can now slap a "Green" label on their candidacy, and point to a nice big shiny thing alongside the highway, where everyone can see. All of this in one of the more rainy states in the country.
Oh, I know, I know... It's important we send a message, and we have to start somewhere, and besides, it's for the children. Spare me.
I'd much rather see *serious* investment in unused federal land in Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, etc., with more efficient systems tied into the overall grid. (See http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/26/280-megawatt-solar-plant-headed-to-arizona-desert/)
Not local political grandstanding masquerading as "green initiatives"
Typo: $1.3mm, not $.13mm
Typo: $1.3mm, not $.13mm
There are roads in California (a relatively YOUNG state) that have been there for well over a hundred years (El Camino, Alameda De Las Pulgas) and stretch across a large portion of the state.
I don't see why these roads won't be fundamentally in the same location for the next 100 years and beyond.
It's easy to paint a near-future with giant technological leaps but the bottom line is we've been driving cars for 100 years and there's nothing out there that looks like it will change things soon.
With less maintenance than just about ANY other energy project this structure could be dribbling in electricity for well beyond the projected 100 years.
while you take inflation into account you failed to add in fossil fuels prices in the future. while natural gas is still cheap it has seen a huge increase in price even though prices are down now. we know they will be up in 20 years. since you or I can't predict the future who knows what will happen. wars and terrorist attacks can cause energy prices to shoot up.
remember it's a start. start building these along all highways and suddenly you have a nationwide solar plant using minimal space.
remember people were quick to hate on "horseless" carriages and look how that turn out.