If you check the quote (somehow its showing up rather low res unfortunately), the German chancellor said : "100% renewable". I agree with you, renewables are excellent when mixed with traditional power like nuclear. But 100% renewables... yeah, I don't know what he is smoking.
Solar heating is brilliant for homes. Does not work for apartment buildings, and likely why it hasn't been implemented at an urban level is due to transmission loss and impracticality. Best case I know of large scale solar heating was in a remote German village where they installed a giant parabolic mirror, to catch the rare sunlight they got over a mountain that blocked most of it. As I remember, it was extremely expensive, but the only option for them.
Spotted_Lady@wolfballs.com 2 years ago
If I remember right, the huge mirror was more for psychological reasons than for energy per se. Even if you take vitamin D capsules and artificially add UV rays or even good lighting at all, there are wellness benefits to natural sunlight that you can't effectively reproduce.
iamtanmay@wolfballs.com 2 years ago
Yes, I think you are right. Was like 7-10 years ago. I vaguely remember they were very happy to finally get some sunlight.