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SUMMARY:Low-cost large-scale renewable energy - Denis Bonnelle
DTSTART:20081029T140000Z
DTEND:20081029T150000Z
UID:TALK14346@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:David MacKay
DESCRIPTION:This conference will present some researches\, in the field of
  renewable energies\, which are directly focused on their economic viabili
 ty as a prominent part of our future energy mix.\n\nFirst\, we will discus
 s renewables' main challenge\, which is that they are diffuse and intermit
 tent. This puts some conditions onto their possible use\, but doesn't tota
 lly forbid it. The first conclusion will be that a better classification c
 ould be among whether a process is facing physical limitations with the ai
 m of ensuring all mankind's energy needs\, or not. \n\nSecond\, "solar chi
 mneys" will be presented\, mainly from a physicist's point of view. Beyond
  them\, experience in this field could be useful to develop an even less k
 nown concept\, "meteorological reactors".\n\nThird\, some features of the 
 economies of scale issue will be discussed from the example of the sector 
 where it is most important : photovoltaics\, both because they're expensiv
 e today\, and because their production growth will be several orders of ma
 gnitude before their contribution to our energy needs become significant. 
 The final target (cost-effective or not for a 10000 GW production?) and th
 e last step before it are the most crucial questions.\n\nIs the idea of a 
 "factory of factories" a good answer? Two issues are related to it. First\
 , the "economies of scale" Vs "learning by doing" analysis of the learning
  curves. Second\, the idea of using the CO2 emission tradable certificates
  to back up the commercial risk of such a project.
LOCATION:TCM Seminar Room\, Cavendish Laboratory\, Department of Physics
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