Solar to Electricity, Two Choices:

• Turn photons into electrons (Photovoltaics)
• Heat Water into Steam (Solar Thermal)

Solar Thermal Power:

• Focus sunlight on a bucket of water
  This requires about 2000 heliostats
  Maintenance, initial costs make energy
• Oregon's Solar Potential 1.8 Quads National US Usage in 1990 85 Quads
• Compare Electrical Output for a year. Solar, Conventional and Hydro Power Plants.
• Annual Irradiance Data. Eastern Oregon (Burns, Whitehorse Ranch) are reasonable sites for solar electric applications.