And your assumption is that this is the only plant that will be built, and that it is the only type of plant that will be built. (Right?)
Solar and Nuclear each have their disadvantages:
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/guide/benefits_impacts.html…
When looking at the environmental impacts and benefits of an energy solution, it is important to look at all parts of the energy life cycle, as well as long-term management and conservation of natural resources. All approaches have environmental impacts, but we can minimize them by understanding the impacts and making wise choices.
The following are brief discussions of the environmental benefits and impacts of some key technologies. It is important to note that they represent current technology. The challenges and problems of each are being worked on through research and development. …
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/guide/benefits_impacts.html#nuclear…
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear power plants require the mining, processing, transport, and disposal of nuclear materials. The processes used to generate electricity are relatively clean, and produce little air pollution, however large amounts of water are still used for cooling. Concerns regarding the environmental impacts of nuclear energy generally center on the transport and storage of nuclear waste, as well as on the potential for accidents. As a result, siting new nuclear plants has become a contentious issue, and there has not been a new nuclear plant ordered in the United States for over 20 years.
…http://www1.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/guide/benefits_impacts.html#solarSolar
Solar technologies directly convert the sunlight falling on the earth's surface to usable energy. The most common means of doing this are 1) photovoltaics (solar cells), that convert sunlight to electricity, 2) solar hot water, 3) solar heating, lighting, and cooling of buildings, 4) using solar energy for agricultural or industrial purposes such as crop drying, 5) concentrating solar power, whereby mirrors or troughs are used to superheat liquids that are then used for other purposes. For more information on solar technologies, see
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/guide/energy_technology_basics.html">Energy Technology Basics.
None of these technologies require the transportation of fuels. They have no emissions and produce no waste as a byproduct of their use. As a result, their environmental impacts are limited to siting issues, particularly, issues relating to their visual impact and any impact from land use. Roof-mounted solar energy systems can often avoid both of these impacts.
Hazardous chemicals are used in the manufacture of solar cells, creating environmental considerations in their manufacture and, in some cases, in their eventual disposal. Solar cell manufacturers minimize their use of these chemicals, recycle them when possible, and release a minimum of pollutants to the environment.
Some solar cells include minute amounts of heavy metals, such as cadmium. These materials are encapsulated in the solar modules and do not present any environmental threat during their use, but could have an adverse environmental impact when the solar panels are decommissioned (although the encapsulation will also minimize these concerns). To address these issues, the photovoltaic industry is examining the processes that would need to be in place to recycle cadmium-telluride solar modules when they reach the end of their useful life. For more information on issues related to cadmium use in solar cells, see
http://www.nrel.gov/pv/cdte/">Cadmium Use in Photovoltaics: The Perceived Risk and the Scientific Evidence, a Web site provided by DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Finally, if a battery bank is used to store the solar energy, battery disposal may be an issue, although most battery types can be recycled.
…
Of course with a concentrating solar plant, electricity can be produced round-the-clock (yes, even in the dark.)
http://www.eere.energy.gov/basics/renewable_energy/thermal_storage.htmlThermal Storage Systems for Concentrating Solar Power
One challenge facing the widespread use of solar energy is reduced or curtailed energy production when the sun sets or is blocked by clouds. Thermal energy storage provides a workable solution to this challenge.
In a concentrating solar power (CSP) system, the sun's rays are reflected onto a receiver, which creates heat that is used to generate electricity. If the receiver contains oil or molten salt as the heat-transfer medium, then the thermal energy can be stored for later use. This enables CSP systems to be cost-competitive options for providing clean, renewable energy.
Several thermal energy storage technologies have been tested and implemented since 1985. These include the two-tank direct system, two-tank indirect system, and single-tank thermocline system.
…In the end, the Saudi’s don’t care what you or I (or the US DoE) think. The Saudi’s will do what makes the most financial sense to them.
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