Para's Comments

you are all on the wrong track ...

Compressed air cars are the way to go !!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_car

.... Paradox

I am an Aussie ... so I think it is great that our country has come up with this achievement, which I understand is the world leader.

I am no expert ... but here is my 10 cents worth ....

Their website (http://www.solarsystems.com.au/) says:
"Solar Systems has developed the capability to concentrate the sun by 500 times onto the solar cells for ultra high power output."

The article above say's:
"Solar Systems' PV modules produce 1500 times more electricity per square metre than traditional PV modules."

I suspect that the formula goes like this:
1500 = (500 x sunlight concentration) x (3 x solar cell and sun tracking efficiency above traditional static PV module)

They have patents on their cooling system. Their solar PV array's use large shared cooling ponds in conjunction with the heat transfer system on the PV modules.

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The trick is in the cooling system for the solar modules ... they have had pilots going for a few years ... the technology works ... they are now ramping up production ....

Paradox.

Dissolved toxic substances of any kind are not a problem because these are closed-loop re-circulating systems.

Type 'Geodynamics' into the search field of this website.

Also - Geodynamics website:
http://www.geodynamics.com.au/IRM/content/home.html

Australia has the worlds best EGS resources, and the Australian government has provided about $5M funding for Geodynamics R&D.

If the Australian government had the financial resources of the USA government, and sponsored this to the tune of $800M, it would probably be on the way to providing 1/2 of Australia's power by now.

But Australia is a net energy exporter, and like the USA, the fossil fuel and uranium mining industries work with the government to ensure projects like this don't get big enough to threaten their turf.

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5 years payback - sounds way too much to me.
I know a guy who used to heat his swimming pool by simply painting the roof black, and running a black garden hose around it ....

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Every step forward is goodness ... but this is still really a token effort when so much more could be done ....

"BP Solar in Sydney and SLIVER cell technology from Origin Energy's Adelaide plant, using discounted loans." ..... means that government is sponsoring local industry (as they should) in a similar way that the California 'Million Solar Roofs" is sponsoring Silicon Valley industry.

... but Adelaide is powered but a large gas fired plant surrounded by acres of ground only used by trail bike riders on weekends .... if they really wanted to kick butt, they could turn the gas plant into a hybrid with the new CSP solar troughs, (cost competitive with gas) ..... and conserve the Moomba gas reserves which are in decline .... but the problem is .... SA's largest local company, (Santos) is the company supplying the gas .....


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some of the phenomenon of wind farm impact on radar are valid ....

however ....

.... if the defence impact was really that serious, then how come European countries, all side by side and warring for centuries .... are not suspending wind farm development due to the impact on their defence radars ?

..... and with similar population densities, number of airports and flight movements, ..... how come they are not suspending wind farm development due to the impact on their air traffic control radars ?

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regarding the above story - from aust. Gov. website ....

Renewable Energy Development Initiative Grants offered for Round 2:

http://www.ausindustry.gov.au/content/content.cfm?ObjectID=618A3BBC-9770-4A2B-BE9B179B98D34260&L2Parent=E035FC85-BA61-4BD9-B63C55EB01839B8C&L3Parent=B7C70A4B-E588-40C9-AD6542408BFD1AAB


Aust. Gov. Renewable energy home page .....

http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/renewable/government.html

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Their website say's:
"Awarded "International Energy Project of the Year" for 2005 by the Association of Energy Engineers in April, 2005. "

but no clear comparison anywhere of the benefits of these vertical axis turbines vs. the competing horizontal axis turbines.

are the cheaper ?

are the less noisy ? ... therefore suitable on residential buildings ?

Many years ago, I was a radar technician in the Australian military ....

All aircraft radars since at least the 1960's have a feature called "Moving Target Indication". Basically, they filter out the static objects, and only show the moving objects on the radar screen. I expect the moving turbine blades would probably appear to the radar as static objects.

Regarding
"...... that line of sight with radar can be broadly interpreted to an infinite distance from a radar facility. And the U.S. military .... long-range radar systems with considerable range that could easily pick up signals from distant wind projects"

FIRSTLY:
Standard civilian and military radar operates at microwave frequencies which are, in the true sense of the word, line of sight. This means, that due to the curvature of the earth, at 250 miles range, the radar cannot see below 40,000 feet.

Many wind farms would be below the radar.

continued ....

SECONDLY:
Australia has their own low frequency 'over the horizon' radar in central Australia.
http://defence-data.com/features/fpage37.htm
This can follow trucks moving along the coastal highway 1,000 miles away.
The USA would have similar radar.
There is no controversy, nor movement to ban wind farms in Australia because they interfere with this radar.

UK Study:
Wind Farms Impact on Radar Aviation Interests
http://www.bwea.com/aviation/radar.html
It say's: "Single wind turbines do not create a significant 'radar shadow'"

This sums it up:
" .... said initial radar concerns in Europe were widely overblown and in some cases politically motivated"

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Excellent technical reporton the impact of wind farms on radar:
British Wind Energy Association
http://www.bwea.com/aviation/ams_report.html

The main problem is the doppler effect caused by the blades, which mimics moving aircraft.
This can be mitigated by plot filters, which are interposed between the signal processing function of the radar and the controller

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Regarding:
" ... One human family has even been reported to have had to move out of there house because the sound made them sick. "

I suspect they have a design problem .... at certain wind speeds and conditions, it creates a sub-audible 7Hz resonance or vibration ...

http://www.forteantimes.com/articles/153_sonicweapons.shtml

"According to the Working Paper on Infrasound Weapons produced by Hungary for the United Nations in 1978 4, the frequency that is thought to be most dangerous to humans is between 7 and 8Hz. This is the resonant frequency of flesh and, theoretically, it can rupture internal organs if loud enough. Seven hertz is also the average frequency of the brain's alpha rhythms; thus this frequency has been described as dangerous but also relaxing"


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regarding bird deaths .... there is a very simple but effective solution .... warn off the birds with bird distress calls broadcast over loadspeakers .....

http://www.birddamage.com/combo.htm

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I am Australian .... Australia is a net energy exporter .... John Howard's situation in Canberra could be compared in some way's to Bush in the Whitehouse ..... neither of them would survive for very long if they were upset the energy industry power brokers ....

.... so Howard has to do just enough to 'green wash' the government, while making sure the renewable energy has no real immediate impact.

Our best hope lies in other countries who have to progress renewables for energy survival. Eventually the industry will reach a critical mass, and renewable energy prices will come down while fossil fuel prices rise, and it will be a commercial decision to implement cheaper renewable energy.

The Australian government alternative energy programes:
http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/renewable/

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