How Mirrors Could Solve our Energy Problem

CSP is one of my favorite grid-scale renewable energy solutions. The tower type CSP with heat storage is a fantastic solution in that it can produce for many hours after sunset, and can readily vary its output to match demand.

CSP takes a lot of land, but it’s most efficient in deserts that would otherwise not be used, so it doesn’t take away from otherwise useful land. 

There is one aspect in which it’s not great. It does contribute a small amount to global warming in that it reflects less sunlight into space, in read converting it to atmospheric heat, but since it doesn’t add GHGs, that heat isn’t trapped and can radiate back into space, particularly at night.