ThorCon: Cheap, reliable, CO2-free electric power
I understand the interest in baseload generation but don&#x27;t see why there&#x27;s so much interest in nuclear when low-tech concentrated solar in the desert can get the job done and scaling it up (and ensuring it&#x27;s 100% safe) isn&#x27;t a matter of R&amp;D but just basic manufacturing. It strikes me a lot of the nuclear focus is (understandable, if not justifiable) interest in cool new technology.<p>Ironically, with concentrated solar, going lower tech, even at the expense of efficiency, might decrease costs because the materials would amount to cheap mirrors&#x2F;collectors and steel pipes. Saul Griffith&#x27;s classic talk highlighted that there&#x27;s probably no meaningful manufacturing limit to building concentrated solar with existing industrial infrastructure:<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;longnow.org&#x2F;seminars&#x2F;02009&#x2F;jan&#x2F;16&#x2F;climate-change-recalculated&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;longnow.org&#x2F;seminars&#x2F;02009&#x2F;jan&#x2F;16&#x2F;climate-change-rec...</a>