New Hampshire Electric Rate Payer to Pay Chi-Coms $1.2M for Solar Plant

[Scott Sousa]

To SUNkings comment regarding the gullible public.
I sometimes present Adult ed classes at the local community college on solar for Nubies, architects, contractors. most of these people having a college education.
It is amazing how many think that the use of solar PV modules will eliminate the need for oil in our society.
to counter this, in my opening remarks i throw out the question, How much oil does it take to make a solar panel?
That usually gets them started thinking.

[J.P.M.]

I sometimes present Adult ed classes at the local community college on solar for Nubies, architects, contractors. most of these people having a college education.
It is amazing how many think that the use of solar PV modules will eliminate the need for oil in our society.

Perhaps an example of the lack of correlation between formal classroom education and critical thinking skills.

[Sunking]

Perhaps an example of the lack of correlation between formal classroom education and critical thinking skills.

There is a joke or TWO in that statement

1. What do you call a person who is educated and lacks critical thinking skills?
2. What do you call a person who can only speak one language.

Scroll down for answer.
























































US Americans

[Sunking]

To SUNkings comment regarding the gullible public.
I sometimes present Adult ed classes at the local community college on solar for Nubies, architects, contractors. most of these people having a college education.
It is amazing how many think that the use of solar PV modules will eliminate the need for oil in our society.
to counter this, in my opening remarks i throw out the question, How much oil does it take to make a solar panel?
That usually gets them started thinking.

I was laid off from Worldcom in 2003 and for two semesters I taught Trigonometry and AC Circuits in a community College. First day of class I gave my students a warning about cell phones and No Tolerance Policy. I asked them: How much damage does a Cell Phone do to your on a brain daily basis? I followed up my question stating: "If I as much see or hear a cell phone, you will fail the class immediately and be kicked out"

[J.P.M.]

There is a joke or TWO in that statement

1. What do you call a person who is educated and lacks critical thinking skills?
2. What do you call a person who can only speak one language.

Scroll down for answer.

US Americans

+1. Seems that often the best humor has a kernel of truth. I'd add a 3d question: What do you call people who believe formal education makes them intelligent ?

[Sunking]

What do you call people who believe formal education makes them intelligent ?

Either Obama or Dan.

[Scott Sousa]

Who the hell is Dan?
BTW reading these threads have become the most entertaining part of my day.

[J.P.M.]

Who the hell is Dan?
BTW reading these threads have become the most entertaining part of my day.

Scott, if this is the most entertaining part of your day, you definitely have too much time on your hands.

However, since you ask, and without doing SK's thinking for him, I suspect the Dan being referred to is probably one of the posters who, among other things, seems to have lumped/labeled Sunking & I together as being part of some sort of satanic cabal that is hell bent on destroying solar/R.E. by our messy attempts at bringing some experienced engineering ways of seeing reality as counterpoint to the treehugger set who, IMO anyway, often sees the energy question in different and simplistic terms, and from a different perspective. As for Obama, I'd leave him out of it as politics have nothing to do with the subject.

[sensij]

This thread is also proof that it isn't just the ignorant who are prone to childish behavior. Seriously, guys, what's with the personal attacks?

[J.P.M.]

This thread is also proof that it isn't just the ignorant who are prone to childish behavior. Seriously, guys, what's with the personal attacks?

I don't know if this thread proves much of anything but may be an example of how we can all take ourselves too seriously 1X/awhile.

However, and FWIW, I've never observed much of any correlation between childish behavior and superior thinking skills.

I was simply trying to answer a question with some background by describing a situation as I see it - nothing personal, and not meant as an attack. Only to the extent my comments are opinion are they personal.

I' d also add that opinions, like noses, vary. And, like noses, most of them smell some and some are downright ugly.

As usual, take what you want of the above. scrap the rest.

[DanKegel]

I suspect the Dan being referred to is probably one of the posters who, among other things, seems to have lumped/labeled Sunking & I together as being part of some sort of satanic cabal that is hell bent on destroying solar/R.E. by our messy attempts at bringing some experienced engineering ways of seeing reality as counterpoint to the treehugger set who, IMO anyway, often sees the energy question in different and simplistic terms, and from a different perspective.

I appreciate JPM's and Sunking's engineering posts. We disagree on climate change. I'm not sure where the 'satanistic cabal' part comes from.

[sensij]

Not to revive this thread that has run far off course, but I've been doing some more research... Calling Borrego Solar a Chi-Com (under any definition) looks really misleading. They are a US company (based in San Diego County) that sold some equity in 2009 when financing was tight so that they could continue expanding in a horrible economy. The thread title wouldn't be quite as divisive if it more accurately said "New Hampshire Electric Rate Payer to Pay Californians $1.2M for Solar Plant".

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2010/mar/15/wwwxconomycom61906/

[jflorey2]

Not to revive this thread that has run far off course, but I've been doing some more research... Calling Borrego Solar a Chi-Com (under any definition) looks really misleading. They are a US company (based in San Diego County) that sold some equity in 2009 when financing was tight so that they could continue expanding in a horrible economy. The thread title wouldn't be quite as divisive if it more accurately said "New Hampshire Electric Rate Payer to Pay Californians $1.2M for Solar Plant".

That title certainly wouldn't have the desired effect!

I got my first solar panels (Arco Tri-Lams) from the first (dismantled) Borrego Solar project. They had been used in a concentrating applications (mirrors on either side) and the resulting heat caused the EVA to turn brown. They still put out about 70% of their rated power, and the price (only $3 a watt!) was unheard of at the time.