Rethinking the Energy Solution

It is indeed a great idea, however these balloons have to be exchanged every 2 years. That is a problem.

The whole concept is intriguing but what's most compelling about it to me is how incredibly great design can come from rigorous design constraints. By focusing on scalability they were forced to reinvent solar collectors in a truly innovative way. Exchanging the balloons every two years is not scalable but its also the kind of engineering problem that is relatively easy to solve -- or factor into the overall maintenance.

Why can't we think of a simple solutuion like the rest of the world? Public transport system!! we will save energy, reduce green house gases and employ thousands of Americans in establishing the infra-structure and ensure employment of auto workers by changing the Auto plants to manufacture buses and trains.

Ah hello, how about using something that will work. Namely nuclear power. Geez we are waisting alot of money and time talking when we could build nuke plants.

Mike, you are right, we should seek to use technologies that work. We should also seek to use technologies that are less expensive out of the set of options. For that reason (among many) nuclear is a really bad choice. Once you calculate in the $billions for disposal and dismantling of retired plants, and the $billions in subsidies going to nuclear (as with the Price-Anderson Act, among other forms of subsidies), nuclear turns out to be outrageously expensive. So if you want to stop waisting money and time, one good way to do that is ditch new nukes and focus on the cleaner, truly renewable, and lower cost options in solar, wind, hydro, wave, geothermal, and biofuels.