50% loss for that distance seems high. "Transmitting electricity at high voltage reduces the fraction of energy lost to resistance, which varies depending on the specific conductors, the current flowing (measured in kilo-Amperes (kA.)) and the length of the transmission line. For example, a 100 mile 765 kV line carrying 1000 MW of energy can have losses of 1.1% to 0.5%. A 345 kV line carrying the same load across the same distance has losses of 4.2%.[8]" [Wiki, but it does sound plausible] Other sources say that California gets some of its electricity from as far away as Alberta and Texas. -----Original Message----- From: math-fun-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:math-fun-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Henry Baker Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2013 7:36 AM To: math-fun Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [math-fun] one crazy idea Somewhere in a desert near L.A., there's a field of mirrors controlled by little pre-Arduino sun-tracking computers that aim the sun at a tower in the middle. The idea is to create steam in the tower. I assume that because there hasn't been much press, this idea isn't working out as well as the promoter had expected. Among other problems, transmission losses from the desert to L.A. will eat up perhaps 50% of the electrical energy. At 12:14 PM 7/17/2013, meekerdb wrote: Mythbusters (the TV show) tried this a couple of different times, even using modern mirrors. It never really worked. _______________________________________________ math-fun mailing list math-fun@mailman.xmission.com<mailto:math-fun@mailman.xmission.com> http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/math-fun