| Every once in awhile, you read something which | | | | of steam instantly. This high energy source is used |
| strikes a chord within you. Now what I am going to tell | | | | directly to power steam turbines. |
| you quite frankly may not be the least bit interesting to | | | | The state of California has also recently completed a |
| you, but it has a very personal meaning for myself. | | | | similar project successfully. This does indeed appear to |
| Canada's CBC News today made the announcement | | | | be an emerging technology. No fossil fuels are |
| that the city of Medicine Hat, Alberta wants to try and | | | | consumed, making this version of electric power ultra |
| become the first city in the country to generate steam, | | | | clean. This should soon stand up alongside both wind |
| using solar power, to help run the power plants' | | | | and solar electric energy. |
| turbines. | | | | When our family emigrated to Canada in 1957, we |
| Thus far, they have managed to come up with one | | | | came right across the country by train. We passed |
| third of the required $9 million for the completion of the | | | | through Medicine Hat in the wee hours of the morning, |
| project. They are looking to both the provincial and | | | | and I recall my mother waking me up to let me know |
| federal governments for the balance of the funding. | | | | where we were. The reason she did that was |
| But that is hardly news to those of us who are | | | | because my father was killed ten days before my first |
| interested in any form of alternative energy. | | | | birthday, and he is buried at Medicine Hat. |
| The fairly small city of Medicine Hat is located close to | | | | Solar electricity produced by the ever popular solar |
| the border with Saskatchewan, and not very far north | | | | panel has experienced considerable success in |
| of the U. S. Border. | | | | Medicine Hat and the surrounding areas for several |
| As it happens, Medicine Hat is blessed with abundant | | | | years, and with a little financial help from the senior |
| sunshine. The whole area is very flat with a huge | | | | governments it appears that solar thermal power will |
| expanse of sky in any direction, and research has | | | | soon join in. |
| shown that this particular area has an unusually high | | | | The bottom line of all this is to generate clean electric |
| amount of solar radiation making it absolutely ideal for | | | | power. As much as I would like to be able to tell you |
| a solar powered project of this nature. | | | | that you can build this in your own back yard, it simply |
| You may be familiar with a similar project in Spain, | | | | isn't feasible. Unless you happen to have 20 or 30 |
| recently featured on a television documentary and | | | | acres of nice open space, and about $9 million. |
| several news items which has demonstrated the | | | | For the rest of us who still have a desire to help with |
| incredible power of the sun, when focused by | | | | green power, about the best I can do is to direct you |
| hundreds of large mirrors, to generate vast amounts | | | | to visit here and have a good look around. Thank you. |