Re: AFRICA "RICH IN SOLAR, WIND POWE POTENTIAL"

[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Economic Democracy) wrote:

>BlackWater <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Economic Democracy) wrote:
>> 
>> >Africa should use wind, sun
>> > 25/11/2003 14:49  - (SA)  
>> >
>> >Cape Town - The first global conference on wind energy to be held in
>> >Africa opened here with delegates saying the power-starved continent
>> >was using only a fraction of its potential.
>> >
>> >German MP Hermann Scheer, who doubles as the chair of the World
>> >Council for Renewable Energies, said weather conditions in Africa were
>> >far more favourable than in Europe or the United States for tapping
>> >renewable energy sources.
>> 
>>    Planning to live-out your eco-fantasies on a poor
>>    and powerless group of people ?
>
>Thank you for putting your foot in your mouth. It was an AFRICAN
>newspaper that was being quoted...it was not a case
>of a western article giving opinion about what Africa should
>do but an African newspaper giving its own opinion...but
>your knee-jerk-reactionary response was too quick to notice...

   I'm sure western eco-nuts whispered in the
   editors ear ... misled the poor bastard about
   how wonderful 'alternative' was. 

>>    The initial costs of setting-up wind and solar power
>>    systems is pretty damned high. Where are these poor
>>    nations going to get the money ? Oh wait ... I'll
>>    bet we're supposed to GIVE it to them ......
>
>Quick test: how many dollars per watt does PV cost? Not
>at your fingertips? Why not? Why the quick opinions without even knowing?
>
>Even today they can pay for themselves over their lifetimes..
>their lifetiems are 25+_ years, so that is an understatement
>since they can pay for themselves in 10, 15, ot 20 years at most..
>more like 10-15 years in sunny parts of Africa.
>
>Of course, the idea of giving any money to them is soooo 
>disgusting to you, that, even if you had proof
>from none other than God that it would benefit the West
>in lower emissions, you'd still be against it.
>
>Fine.
>
>But let them take loans if they want, let those who
>want to donate, donate, and finally, listen
>up long enough to notice this is African newspapers
>giving their opinions about what Africa should do,
>not  Western ones. Thanks for the perfect
>example of knee-jerk-conservatism and have a nice day

   Beats knee-jerk liberalism any day of the week ...

   The economics of 'conventional' power plants and
   'alternative' are entirely different. 'Conventional'
   plants are pretty cheap per KWH, but then you have
   to pay for the fuel thereafter. 'Alternative' does
   not have any fuel costs, but all the money has to
   be 'up front' for the hardware. 

   So, in the LONG TERM, 'alternative' may be cheaper
   but the initial investment is horrendous. Massive
   loans would have to be obtained. Either the interest
   would kill 'em or some 'liberal' twits would start
   saying we should 'forgive' the loans and make it
   'free money'.