Amy Pippins, Las Vegas

Thu, Sep 4, 2008 (2:02 a.m.)

I am writing to respond to Walter F. Wegst’s Saturday letter to the editor about solar and wind power and their inability to work at night. He asked for help in understanding where nighttime energy would come from if solar and wind were to be implemented.

I’d like to help him out. Both solar and wind energy can be captured and stored for use later. I am not a scientist, but I knew that this was possible. Therefore, I did a little research and found the following information.

Solar thermal plants use the sun to heat fluid that turns a turbine to create electricity. Its energy can be stored as heat by a substance, often liquid sodium, for later use to boil water and create pressurized steam, which in turn moves turbines that produce electricity.

In addition, scientists at MIT have recently discovered another way to store solar energy that mimics photosynthesis. Solar power is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, which can be stored chemically and used when needed.

There is a way to store wind power as well. Highly compressed air is sent down the tower of the wind turbine and into underground storage. The pressurized air can be released when needed to power a generator, even when wind is not spinning the turbine’s blades.

I hope this information helps Mr. Wegst understand that renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind, can be used even when we can’t see or feel them.