VP Al Gore lays out plan for unified, RE powered, smart grid for all to plug into

Written by: publius on Oct 29, 2008 10:19 PM EDT

http://www.wecansolveit.org/

In  a  20 minute  web cast  this evening, Al Gore cited the oft quoted solar electric postulate that existing solar electric photo voltaic and concentrating thermal technologies could power the entire US with 100 sq miles of collectors in the desert southwest.

Citing efficiency and waste reduction as the highest priority, Mr. Gore then indicated renewable (RE) energy could meet demand.

He indicated this southwestern solar resource and the wind resources of the mountain regions and Dakotas  would be enough -

IF:
 
Automobile fleet was converted to electric to serve as a giant distributed battery connected (when parked) to -
a nationwide, unified smart grid  buried underground to move western RE generation (and any other RE generation) throughout the nation.

Said unified smart grid could be implemented for $ 400 billion.  Indicated that business losses from unreliable power on existing grids add up to $120 billion per year.  Therefore, reliability improvements from unified smart grid pay off the 400 b in less than 4 years.

State rate payers ought to consider these compelling options before being on the hook for "bailing out" those planned utility company nuclear and coal plants which are headed toward the "ash can of history."

Tags:
Location: Macon, GA