JSPES, Vol. 34, No. 1 (Spring 2009)
pp. 15-22

Energy Independence for the USA

Herbert F. Mataré

Malibu, California

Recent efforts to use solar energy are shown to be insufficient for large scale projects, due to the use of inefficient converter cells, low insolation values, and heat losses Optimized schemes allow for a rather limited size of the structure. Values are given which show that decisive energy can be gained in desert areas and that the use of hydrogen allows for a valuable chemical conversion to useful hydrocarbons in connection with C02 sequestration.