Solar Thermal Company Says It Could Power 90% of Electric Grid and Electric Cars

California (TGW) – Ausra, a California-based solar thermal energy provider, has published a peer reviewed study showing that over 90% of the United State’s electric grid and auto fleet’s energy needs could be met by solar thermal power.

Solar thermal power stations use fields of mirrors to capture the sun's energy as heat to boil water and drive steam turbines.

"The U.S. could nearly eliminate our dependence on coal, oil and gas for electricity and transportation, drastically slashing global warming pollution without increasing costs for energy," said David Mills, chief scientific officer and founder at Ausra.

Mills is the inventor of the absorber surfaces used in the majority of the world's solar hot water heaters.

Converting the nation’s electric grid to solar thermal would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. The combination of plug-in hybrids and solar thermal power would eliminate the importation of 13 million barrels of fuel per day.

A plant for such a solar thermal facility would cover 9600 square miles, about the size of Vermont.

Via :: Press Release