On 21 Feb 2011 at 15:35, Joshua Zucker wrote:
A lot of people think that this is exactly the problem: the right way to use solar is light->solar->heat. The electricity step is hugely inefficient. Just paint a big water tank black. OK, so it's not quite that simple, but it's a lot cheaper than photovoltaic and more efficient too.
OTOH, it isn't so easy to cook a meal, keep your refrigerator working, run your computers, etc, with a big tank of hot water. [And note that folks have used solar-water-heaters for a long time now. At least 20 yrs ago in MA a friend of my used solar to heat his outdoor pool] /Bernie\ -- Bernie Cosell Fantasy Farm Fibers mailto:bernie@fantasyfarm.com Pearisburg, VA --> Too many people, too few sheep <--