::this would fit under solar power. Using mirrors to concentrate sunlight has hte same effect as using lenses, but it's much easier and cheaper to build. |
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If you know an answer, don't give your answer on this page. Just post a link to the Wikipedia article that contains the article.
But what if I can find no good Wikipedia article to put it in? I mean, is it really something to put in the Wikipedia why these crazy ideas don't work? If so, where?
Why isn't there powdered alcohol? (Wouldn't that be great? "Just add water...") (Posted July 16.)
Answer, 16 July: Such powders only work with things that are actually suspensions of very fine-grained solids in water, such as milk. Alcohol is a fluid on its own, and does not contain water, thus you cannot 'take the water out'. Still, pure alcohol comes quite close to what you describe (actually, it's rarely pure, more like 95-98%) - however, it's a fluid, not a powder.
Playing with a magnifying glass and a piece of paper on a sunny day, I had the brilliant idea of making a really, really big magnifying glass, in Arizona, and using it to make electricity? C'mon, tell me why this isn't the next big thing in [alternative energy]? circles!! (July 16.)
Answer, 16 July: You would still need some apparatus to turn the energy that is focused by your magnifying glass into a usable form of energy, like electricity. Once you have found a way to do that, you will probably realise that you get at least as much energy, with less difficulties and less space use, with an array of solar collectors the size of your original magnifying glass.