[coldtea]

>The sun can also be an energy source to make syn-gas (to make synthetic gasoline for cars), or charge a battery, or make hydrogen, or pump water uphill. What does that have to do with silicon as a carrier?

It has to do with using the sun to produce the energy that the "carrier" will carry.

Nobody said the Sun only has this particular application -- just that is one more application of Solar energy (on sand, and with using silicon as a carrier).

>Just because it's in an article doesn't make it correct. This article is really bad. It has just enough truth to make it seem plausible.

Seems like someone didn't read it.

[ars]

Everyone keeps accusing me of not reading the article - but I did. The whole thing (despite eye rolls the entire time).

> just that is one more application of Solar energy (on sand, and with using silicon as a carrier).

You seem to have gotten lost in the argument here. I'm objecting to claiming that using by silicon somehow we reduce CO2 emissions.

We don't. Silicon has nothing to do with it. Sure by using the sun we reduce CO2 - but that's orthogonal to using silicon.

If you want to talk about using silicon as a load balancer, or a kind of rechargeable battery, then sure it's an interesting idea.

But don't start claiming it's some sort of super clean fuel or something like that because it's not.