From Phil Connor
There is an attraction in the solar “power tower” in that it may be, at the moment, more cost-effective than conventional photovoltaics. However, it is considerably more expensive than wind power and likely to be overtaken by other solar technologies even before it is completed (31 July, p 42).
This would not be a problem if it were a small investment, but this project will potentially absorb the majority of all renewables expenditure in Australia for years, effectively displacing many much more worthwhile smaller efforts. The effect on public confidence of a failure of this magnitude should not be underestimated.
Sydney, Australia
