Mexico should install millions of solar panels in their northern areas and sell the electricity to

[theophilus]

the U.S. If they manufacture the panels and install them in an eco-neutral manner I think they could become a booming economy. Since the U.S. seems hellbent on NOT doing enough solar projects maybe that would be the next best thing. What do you think?

[blm]

1. enthusiastically agree

.

[Armstead]

2. Good idea...However, it wouldn't make a big difference in poverty

It is a good idea, and every little bit helps.

However, once they are constructed and installed (which doesn't take long), the influence on jobs would be minimal. Benefits would go to whomever owns them.

We have a huge solar farm that was recently put up in my town. It's great but hasn;t really done much for local employment.

[theophilus]

5. That's interesting. There would need to be some maintanence. But even

if the employment situation did not improve long term, the benefits of clean energy availability would be worth the effort, imo. Even if Texas refused to buy there would be a market and Mexico could really benefit because their oil industry is winding down. It would also be just a great example to all of us.

[Armstead]

8. I agree it would be worth doing and beneficial from an environmental standpoint

I'm just saying it would not be a major factor in solving their economic problems -- although it certainly wouldn't hurt.

[begin_within]

3. Absolutely and I don't understand why the big energy companies are not behind solar 100%

The oil is going to run out eventually, coal is dirty, and nuclear, well, enough said. Yes the startup costs are high but once it's in place, a solar plant is cheap to maintain, non-polluting and sustainable. If I were Big Energy I would move into solar big time. It seems like a wise move for the long term. I don't know if I would trust Mexico to do anything in an "eco-neutral manner" though. They don't seem to have much regard for the environment there.

[Pab Sungenis]

4. Won't happen.

Corruption and the Narco-Cartels would hamper such a project.

[democrat_patriot]

6. The Narco-cartels can build them. They have the money.

And the security, turn to a legitimate cash flow.

[theophilus]

7. That is a very good point about the drug cartels. Just one more reason to

legalize and put an end to their violence. Imagine....clean energy and an end to drug violence on this large scale. Mexico would be the place to be. Bueno.

[dtexdem]

9. Mexico should do it in ALL of Mexico.

And the U.S. should also do so in all of the U.S.

[XemaSab]

10. Mexico should build energy for Mexico

Otherwise it will always be a 3rd world country.

[Spike89]

11. Economics of solar not right for that

Money is trickling into solar energy research and price/kilowatt continues to drop and will be price competitive in the near future--through a combination of further price drops/efficiency gains for it and price increases for fossil fuel systems. The problem is that developing technologies are mostly suited to small installations where the risk can be minimized.

For instance, if I put a $20,000 solar installation in my home with a 10-year "break even" equation...I only risk the investment and I know I have a very motivated buyer for the energy the setup produces (myself) and even if the "wholesale price" of the energy is high, it will likely be at or below retail price. A huge solar farm as you describe must provide cheap enough power to make it profitable to sell at wholesale rates to large distributors--that is a problem right now.

That isn't the biggest problem with large-format solar generation by far. The major problem (along with a multitude of technical hurdles such as storage) is the very process of improvement in the technology. In the single home example above, there isn't much risk. Even if a newer system became available the day after I bought mine that was twice as efficient, the worse that happens is that my "break even" point gets pushed out a bit longer because the market for energy has dropped. The thing is, I'm still getting "free" power.

The utility network you describe is not isolated from competition. If a day after they bring online $20 million worth the current solar technology that new twice as efficient system becomes available, they are unlikely to ever be able to sell their expensive power at a profit.

That's why solar is somewhat popular among consumers at this point, but not being rapidly adopted by utility companies in the way you describe.