Solar tower in China

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

Article in LA Times today regarding the recent agreement to have ESolar, of Pasadena, build a number of solar thermal power plants in the Mongolian Desert. Interesting article, but what struck me, was the qutoation from a Bloomberg analyst, "If you're identified by China as a leading technology developer, the technology will be imported with the implication that your technology will over time, become local...you effectively have one stakeholder, the government, which makes development much easier."
As we continue to learn about the impact Chinese history has had on the China on today, how fascinating to think more about what the western world has to offer China tomorrow. And, how fascinating to think of having a monopoly on your product. Wow such opportunity if things go well. Guess the converse of that may not be so pretty, but exciting times. Time to think out of the box.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to your entry I got curious and found online that the headline of LA Times was “Pasadena's ESolar lands 2,000-megawatt deal in China”

I wanted to know why Pasadena has such good relations with China and…

Pasadena is sister city of Beijing. Such sisterhood promotes business exchange between the two cities. This leads me to believe that such a tied relationship really benefits the economy of Pasadena, since it opens tremendous opportunities for local companies.

I started looking some more and found that Pasadena enjoys many privileges granted by Chinese entities, for example they had this year the participation of China at the Rose Parade, the Huntington Library has an amazing Chinese garden, The Pacifica Asia Museum, Pasadena City College is recognized by the People’s Republic of China as an official testing site to administer the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi, also known as HSK, or the Chinese Proficiency Test, According to urbanspoon, Pasadena has over 25 Chinese eateries

Although I found that Pasadena has about 13% of its population of Asian descent, Alhambra which is in near proximity of Pasadena and according to the city’s website, has about 30% Asian residents.

I need to go and explore Pasadena!

Opportunities for Students in Pasadena schools to go to China:
http://www.passcc.org/documents/PSCC%20StudentAppl2010.pdf

The concept of Solar farm is wonderful, I found this funny picture of sheet grazing neer the "farm"

[Anonymous]

It is difficult to fathom how much energy this country gobbles up. They need everything that they can get. I know that they use a great deal of coal for their hydroelectric plants, and that unfortunately contributes a great deal to the pollution. Burning coal is really dirty. no wonder why so many people are wearing masks when they are riding their bicycles. natural gas is coming into vogue, but the future for China is their solar power. It may be expensive, but it sure would limit some of the pollution problems that they have been experiencing for such a long time. Solar battery production and solar equipment should be mass produced there pretty soon. I hope the world patents hold out.

[Anonymous]

For your information, the first solar tower thermal power generation system (70 KW) has been approved and accepted in Nanjing Zhejiang. This system has reached the advanced international level. And this system has been smoothly working for one year, and its performance is quite reliable.

[Anonymous]

I wonder how much of the technology the Chinese have been using has been 'borrowed' from American inventors?

[Anonymous]

It is amazing to think that so many problems can be created by the advancement of an economy like China. Believe it or not, the energy crisis is in China as well as in the rest of the world. I think that solar energy is a good alternative to burning coal, using fossil fuels especially natural gas, because it will reduce the enormous pollution that China creates. I also think that it would be a good alternative to heat distilleries which would make pure drinking water for the massive populations that China has. I am glad to see that China is trying to do something about their pollution, especially in their rivers and lakes.
For many years, it has been a dumping ground for industrial and enviornmental waste. The chinese can perfect solar energy with their advanced technologies and design capabilities, and really make it work for them, without punishing the world for it mass production.

[Anonymous]

Some of the Chinese companies have gotten their start in different industries by buying American companies. What's wrong with that ? Their money is as good as anybody's, and if the company is for sale what the heck ? Let them buy it. I just found out that this solar tower technology is designed to trap air, and heat it, because as we all know, hot air rises. the air is heated by the sun, it rises, and that turns the solar turbines to make that good old solar energy, CHEAP !!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

While I have no qualms concerning clean energy, I do believe some products need to be restricted. Well I guess than that those who put their faith in the so called “Free market” principals will not have any complaints knowing that there are sectors in the Chinese military that we also assisted by American companies looking for profits. Some of Soviet era aircraft have been upgraded with American avionics.

[Anonymous]

I agree that solar energy is much needed in our world as an alternative source of renewable energy, not just in China. Here at home, I was happy to see the California Soalr Initiative approved by the California Public Utilities Commission in 2006. This initiative creates a "ten-year program to put solar on a million roofs in the state." Not too long ago, I had my students to do a research paper on the history of solar energy and solar energy in California. Many kids were into this topic and we had some really "engaging" discussions.

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