Pub. 4 2014 Issue 1

23 MINING FOCUS heatingwater, the light from the sun can be intensified 30 to a hundred times on a receiver, and thewater that is exposed to this resulting heat can reach temperatures greater than 750 degrees Fahrenheit. Water goes through heat exchangers where natural gasmakes thewater even hotter, and converts it to steam. The steam is directed into turbines and generates electricity that can then be transferred for use. Almost 50 percent of the energy used in your home goes to heating, cooling, and ventilation systems; in commercial buildings, it’s more like 30 percent. Using solar power to supply this need, therefore, can offset a substantial part of a building’s power needs. The Sun can be used as an extremely effective way to heat water. China is currently investing heavily in this strategy, and in Israel and Cyprus, more than 90 percent of all homes use a solar hot water system. In addition, farmers have always had tricks to maximize plant productivity. Timing planting cycles, placing rows to take advantage of micro climates, andmixing both heights and plant types all improve crop yields. Sometime after 1350, during the Little Ice Age, French and English farmers built fruit walls that absorbed heat and protected plants from freezing. The Emperor Tiberius liked cucumbers, and in order to provide him with them all year, some inventive Roman came up with the first primitive greenhouse. TheSun is an ideal energy source, and solar power has a role to play as part of an “all-of-the-above” approach toenergy production. Aswe continue to invest in solar and other renewable energy strategies, it will be important to keep in mind they are only a part of the answer to our energy needs. Regardless of the energymethods we choose, the mining industry will continue to provide the minerals to make it possible. And remember, the Sun’s energymay be free, and somay be the wind, but making use of it is not.  The Sun is an ideal energy source, and solar power has a role to play as part of an “all-of- the-above” approach to energy production. OUR FUTURE through Mining CONSTRUCTING since 1911 Ben Mills 801.526.6078 Ruben.Mills@gcinc.com