How Mirrors Can Light Up The World Guardian

Link for this Post: "How mirrors can light up the world"   Guardian Unlimited Business

I have to admit that I am not up-to-date on the latest alternative energy solutions. However that said, I was surprised to find out the latest on solar technology. If this BBC article is accurate, then the solution to the energy crisis may be closer than fusion energy.

Again, I am not up on the technology here and do not know if the costs are prohibitive for these mirrors. Here is an excerpt from the article to get you started:

Most people in Britain think of solar power as a few panels on the roof of a house producing hot water or a bit of electricity. But according to two reports prepared for the German government, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa should be building vast solar farms in North Africa's deserts using a simple technology that more resembles using a magnifying glass to burn a hole in a piece of paper than any space age technology.

Two German scientists, Dr Gerhard Knies and Dr Franz Trieb, calculate that covering just 0.5% of the world's hot deserts with a technology called concentrated solar power (CSP) would provide the world's entire electricity needs, with the technology also providing desalinated water to desert regions as a valuable byproduct, as well as air conditioning for nearby cities . . .

Read the rest of this article at the Guardian link at the top of this post.