Link to document:
Status
Electronic Resource
Publication
September 1992
Language
Library's review
ABSTRACT:
Recent developments in the science, technology and application of solar thermal energy have underlined the advantage of this form of energy for mass utilization, providing the potential for eventually supplying most, if not all, of our energy from the sun. Research and development should
Recent developments in the science, technology and application of solar thermal energy have underlined the advantage of this form of energy for mass utilization, providing the potential for eventually supplying most, if not all, of our energy from the sun. Research and development should
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be biased in favor of those areas which can lead to rapid mass utilization and which can achieve substantial performance and/or economic improvements in technology; those technologies which can be applied cost-effectively on a large scale the earliest, should receive highest priority and greatest funding, but always maintaining funds for longer-term projects which hold obvious promise, including those still at a fundamental stage of research. The following order of priority is accordingly suggested: Solar thermal electricity and heat production (immediate application and continuing R&D), thermochemical/photonchemical-based systems, including solar gasification (commercial within this decade), solar-driven catalytic conversion of toxic materials ( commercial within this decade), and utilization of photochemistry, photosynthesis and photoelectrochemistry (longer term). Show Less