Why has generating power via using mirrors to direct suns rays not become commerially viable?

Question

There is so much energy generated from our sun, that it would appear we all could live without coal and gas. Please explain to this retired middle school librarian..you'll get a gold star beside your ten points..........

Answer 1

Actually, I saw an experimental system in the Mojave years ago that had a field of mirrors computer aimed at a central cylinder as a collector. But, like all the other solar projects, as soon as the government support money was spent, it was gone because it couldn't make enough money to pay its own upkeep. With photo-voltaic, the problem is the same. If the cells were free, it would cost too much to be viable. A few communities on the covers of magazines, but only because of the government subsidies. If any of this stuff worked economically, all L.A. would have solar rooftops, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico would be powering all the Southwest. We need to get the efficiency of conversion up in terms of KW of light into KW of electricity before it will become economically workable, and, thank goodness, the researchers have finally figured that out and are working in that direction. Our kids will have it, I'm sure.