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John A. and Ruth W. I do not advocate blanketing the
landscape with photovoltaics, windmills, heat collectors, or mirror arrays
(these technologies are appropriate on a reduced scale). The questions
were posed to probe the full scope of environmental impact associated
with these alternatives for the benefit of those who would believe they are
completely benign. What is most intriguing is the impact of diverting
solar radiation from the earth's surface by these machines on a grand
scale, a process that should create complex terrestrial and atmospheric
effects. It may come to pass that even with theoretical collection
efficiencies being approached, these machines may be intolerable because of
these effects. Possible chilling conclusion? Nuclear processes will
remain not only the source of choice, but also of
necessity.
Rick Orthen
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