GREEN ENERGY FOR ELECTRICITY INITIATIVE (GENEI)

ALTERNATIVE TO NUCLEAR AND FOSSIL ENERGY

BY FRANCIS C W FUNG, PH.D.

July 18, 2008

On July 17, 2008 Al Gore, Ex-US Vice President, made an important US energy
independent announcement. The main theme was to announce the timely and important
initiative of converting all US electricity production to green energy in a decade, by 2018.
The initiative is wise and admirable, but is it realistic? Is it achievable and how?
Currently the US electricity generation is 70% by fossil fuel, 20% by nuclear power and
only 10% by solar, hydro, wind and other forms of renewable energy. The answer is that
the goal is ambitious but achievable if supported by national concerted efforts of Solar
Stirling Engine programs to gradually replace existing fossil fuel power plants, large or
small.

America is a country of vast resources and can do spirit. Just look at our overwhelming
airplane manufacturing capability that was built up during the Second World War. Half a
century later the world has not caught up yet. The same can do attitude can be applied to
the Green Energy for Electricity Initiative (GENEI) for success. The GENEI policy will
put US so far ahead in Solar Stirling system manufacturing that the world will not be able
to catch up. The momentum of GENEI advocacy will make us the largest energy
technology and Stirling Engine export nation in the history of world green energy
technology and product export. The potential world market of GENEI technology and
products together with our reduction in oil import can be so great, as to more than half
our trade deficit. The US is in great need of a president with Al Gore’s vision and
mission.

Exactly two decades and four years ago I delivered a key note speech at the Second
International Conference of Stirling Engines in Shanghai, China. The title of my speech
was “The Promising Future of Stirling Engines in China” by transferring US Stirling
Engine technology to China. The idea was for China to deploy nationwide, small size
solar powered Stirling engines as an appropriate renewable energy technology. The most
endearing and commanding source of external heat to power Stirling Engines without
doubt is solar heat. Because of the simplicity of the Stirling Engine operating principle
and construction compared to the conventional internal combustion engine, this is a
winning combination from economical and renewable energy considerations. The
operating gas in a Stirling Engine is hermetically sealed and heat is added to the outside
of the engine cylinder. Thus mechanically, high efficiency Stirling Engines are very
simple and maintenance free. Most of all, because of its high heat and power
concentration capability, it is also particularly suitable for large electric utility
applications compared to solar voltaic panels. Solar voltaic panels as alternative utility
power plants have significantly lower thermal efficiency, higher cost and take up much
more space for the same electricity power delivered.

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As of this writing, the two largest Solar power Stirling Engine Utility Plants under
construction are the Solar One Project being built for Southern California Edison at the
California Mohave desert and the Solar Two Project being built for San Diego Gas and
Electric at Imperial County at Southern California. The total designed power for these
two projects add up to be 1750 MW, the size of two large nuclear power plants.

How does Solar Stirling Engine stack up against Nuclear Power plants? The solar
Stirling Engine technology used in these two projects are called the SES SunCatcher
system, they hold the record for the most efficient solar electricity generation technology
in the world. The SES SunCatcher is a highly concentrating solar thermal technology
that converts sunlight into electricity at a rate of 31.25 percent, significantly more
efficient than its closest competitor by far. The cost of electric power for these Sun
Catchers is 1/5 to 1/10 of comparable photo voltaic panels. Each Sun Catcher dish is 38
feet tall, 40 feet wide and generates 25,000 watts of power, which means they occupy
much less space compared to any solar voltaic panels on per kilowatt basis. The large
space required for solar voltaic panels, high price and low efficiency, disqualified them as
candidates for large utilities in competing with Solar Stirling Engine systems.

Because of the strict need and regulation requirements to prevent nuclear radioactivity
leaks, all nuclear power plants must be housed in huge fortified containment housing. All
systems of hot and cooling water circulations must be heavily protected and isolated. So
the cost of nuclear power plants is manifolds higher than equivalent Solar Stirling Engine
power plants. The construction cycle is also unduly long. Despite all the built in safety
factors for nuclear power plants, mechanical failures and human errors do occur.
Accidents like Three Mile Island in the US and Chernobyl in Russia are unavoidable and
the consequences are too dear to accept.

For sheer amount of enormous energy needed for Green Energy for Electricity Initiative
(GENEI), Solar Stirling Engine System utility wins hands down over other renewable
energy choices. California has voted for Stirling Engines from expert experience and
moving ahead. Since Three Mile Island accident, for over thirty years, the US has
consistently delayed building nuclear power plants. That is very responsible and to be
commended. I was one time the China country representative of Combustion
Engineering for the sales of moth-balled Tennessee Valley Nuclear power plants. The
nightmares of TMI and Chernobyl still haunt me. After the unprecedented severe
Sichaun earth quakes, the construction of huge hydro power plants such as the three
Gorges anywhere in the world will be most likely put off for a long time if not forever.

Aside from the fact that Solar Stirling Engine for electricity generation is non polluting
and renewable, the final merit is the economic pay back of its low life cycle cost due to
ease of manufacturing and maintenance of the engine. Solar Stirling Engine systems
have long life cycle and do not require the many additional ancillary accessories as diesel
and steam engines. In a Solar Stirling Engine System the working gas is permanently and
hermetically sealed. There is no replacement or treatment necessary of the working gas
in the life cycle of the engine as in steam engine and internal combustion engines. In the
case of Nuclear Power the cost of disposal of spent fuel and its adverse effect of long

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lasting radioactivity on nature and mankind is well known. No nuclear power plant is
permanent. The eventual need to tear down old dilapidated nuclear power plant for safety
has never been adequately addressed either.

In conclusion, as a national and local GENEI policy to reduce environmental pollution, to

steer away from long term radioactive degradation of the earth, and to reduce national
financial burden, all point to the choice of using Solar Stirling Engine Systems as the
most viable solution. Large Stirling Engine power Plant can be incrementally added in
small modular units. They are much more thermally efficient than Solar voltaic panels.
The recommendation of using Stirling Engine alternative for GENEI policy is based on
my over two decades of experience as a practitioner of international Solar Stirling Engine
technology transfer. The US oil imports is 24% in the 1970’s and 42% in the 1990’s.
Today we import 70% of our oil and at a staggering cost of 700 Billion. This increasing
trend and heavy cost are absolutely unsustainable.

It is imperative for us to support Al Gore and advocate GENEI policy as a national

priority. To play a responsible role as the leader of the world, the US must also set an
example in her renewable energy policy. Other major fossil fuel consuming nations such
as China, India, Indonesia and Brazil will inevitably follow. With ample evidence as
discussed here, not to include the Solar Engine Systems for consideration as a major part
of US GENEI imperative is unconscionable. Financially the US can also become the
beneficiary of the biggest energy technology transfer nation in world history.

In fact the US is already ahead in Solar Stirling Engine technology. The GENEI policy
will put US so far ahead in Solar Stirling system manufacturing that the world will be
hard put to catch up. The potential export of Solar Stirling Engine systems to meet the
pent up demand for rest of the world will be a great stimulus to the US sagging economy.
Together with the reduction in oil import US trade deficit can be significantly reversed.
The summation of total reduction of oil import as the world follows our GENEI
imperative will no doubt instantly halt the oil price speculative. It will not be surprising
that a world concerted GENEI effort will instantly drive the oil price down by more than
half. Our next president must show the vision and leadership to endorse Al Gore’s
GENEI imperative and implements it as our energy independent policy. Yours humbly is
available for consultation by invitation from relevant national energy implementation
department and local government heads.

In Service of Energy Independence

Francis C W Fung, PH.D.

Solar Stirling Engine Partnership (SSEP)
Word account 1500

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SOLAR ONE PROJECT, Capacity: 500 MW (for 300,000 homes) with expansion
option to 850 MW

• 20,000 - 34,000 solar dish Stirling systems

• 20-Year Power Purchase Agreement
• Sited in the Mojave Desert east of Barstow, CA