Why do people always assume that solar=photovoltaic?
thermal tower technology has been proved at much larger scales, and some of the plant being planned now are of the same power output as the smaller conventional power stations (100-200MW). Their more interesting features include being able to store power in the workings of the plant itself, to the extent of storing around 1/3rd of the the power they produce, and then releasing that power during the night. Of course, they still rely on clear skies, which is major disadvantage.
Another disadvantage is that thermal towers needs a lot of capital. So only big greedy cooperations are able to build and maintain them, cooperations what only want to make profit.
But everyone who has around 12.000 to 20.000 €uros and owns a house with a sunny roof can build a photovoltaic plant. He doesn't even have to make profit, because the electricity he produces will be heavy substituted by the consumer.
The same applies to wind farming. Everyone who has 1000 -10.000 €uros can buy a share on a wind mill. And because the small windmills on hills are owned by shareholders that are ordinary citizens whose small windmills are much better than the big ones in the sea what can only be build from big, greedy cooperations.
And because nobody likes big greedy cooperations who only want to make profit, there is no alternative to private photovoltaic plants on the roof of the homes of the rich and successful
