Solar Power In Australia

[Ric.ror]

I was just discussing with a work colleague why Africa doesn't 'solar power' itself out of poverty (we thought the answer would probably be political) But why then hasn't Australia become the SP capital of the world - it has the spare land and the natural resource

[woofgang]

I think in Africa, the answer might be to do with the expense of the infrastructure. Small solar powered equipment....small computers, mobile phones and so on are being used but the National (or even local) grid needed to store and share power would be an expensive project.

[Spicerack]

They do/have used solar power in Australia.
It's been an unmitigated disaster according to something I was reading the other day.
I'll see if I can find it for you.

[Zacs-Master]

You'd think Nevada was a good place to do it too. And then came the lawyers, and then came the rules (to quote Dire Straits):
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/13/solar-panel-energy-power-company-nevada

[Spicerack]

Can't find the article I wanted. Found this, admittedly biased, one.

https://stopthesethings.com/2017/08/17/high-farce-renewable-energy-target-sending-australia-broke/

[Ric.ror]

Thanks for your answers - We just wondered why the poorest countries in the world had just one natural resource and was not making the most of it
ZM - I never thought about Nevada - Spain was a consideration but then I remembered the green houses visible from outer space

[vascop]

I can't help thinking that some people think that the sun has to be visible in the sky to get power from it, but this is not so - as long as it is daylight we can get power from the light.

[davegosling]

The technology's not quite there yet for the residential market. Although the most modern devices can come with a storage system something like the size of a dishwasher meaning that power can be stored for use during the night, these power only those devices which need hardly any electricity anyway, like wireless routers and phone chargers etc - n electric shower would drain them in minutes.

But, just as a modern smartphone has many times more computing power than the entire Apollo 11 lunar module, it's only a matter of time before solar power will replace the national grid, at least for the residential market.

[ToraToraTora]

Africa has many problems but this is really about economics. The up front expense of solar and indeed all renewables is often prohibitive. The romantic notion of free unlimited power is never realised because it's far from free and often the old ways are cheaper.

[Ric.ror]

Once again thanks for your answers - as I am not very technical I am going to award Tora the best answer as I love the dog avatar. Spicerack you were a close second