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"Coal to run a power plant, via turbines, is significantly more complicated than solar panels." A modern high tech coal plant maybe, with all the digital contr
by lukan 2y ago
"Coal to run a power plant, via turbines, is significantly more complicated than solar panels."
A modern high tech coal plant maybe, with all the digital control, automation and filters maybe. But the basic tech is from the 19.century. A average metal workshop could build one with some time.
But solar panels? That requires high tech in all of the production steps.
- Dylan16807 2y agoYou need some high quality chemical sources to make the solar panel, but once it's made it's just a fancy slab of glass that spits out power. I find that pretty simple.
- Arnt 2y agoBoth of them require high tech to produce, now that you have to consider things like quicksilver emissions limits when setting up a plant. Measuing parts per billion and tuning the process to minimise emissions is high tech. But that's a distraction. The key difference is that operating a coal power plant involves a logistics chain from a coal mine in a desert in Australia, and operating a PV plant involves wiping dust from the panels. One global escalation and the logistics chain is in trouble — while the panels will still be there.