Peas in a pod?: University of California, Berkeley PhDs Muller and (Solyndra booster) Chu both believe that solar power can help prevent bad weather, but both fail to understand the practical realities

Richard Muller & his delusions‏

An email from Ed Johnson, Ph.D, Physics below:

Thought you might like a clear-cut example of Professor Muller's irrationality. In recent years, he published two books popularizing Physics:

* "Physics for Future Presidents" (PffP, 2008)
* "The Instant Physicist" (TIP, 2011)

In both, he discusses commercial solar power.

Chapter 6 of PffP is illustrative of Muller's lack of contact with reality. The first section of this Chapter (p. 77), titled "An Anecdote" tells the quaint story of a dinner conversation between Liz, a former student, and an LLNL fusion physicist. In this tale, Muller (through Liz) compares a square kilometer of sunshine with a nuclear power plant.

Liz stuns the LLNL dude with the fact that one square kilometer of sunshine has 1,000 megawatts of power. Muller fails to inform the reader that this is true only on clear summer days and then only for a few hours around solar noon -- no power each night, low power each morning and afternoon and during overcast periods. He also ignores the realities of practical solar power plants.

What's ironic is that in Chapter 5, Muller warns the reader not to confuse power with energy. Yet that's the very error Muller is committing in his tale of Liz and the doofous physicist.

Almost nothing Muller says in Chapter 6 is accurate. He even screws up the history of NASA's Solar Airplanes (last section).

Flashback: Bay Area Nobel Prize winner named US Energy Czar | abc7news.com

Some have questioned whether a scientist is fit for a high-profile job traditionally held by political insiders. But, Berkeley physicist Richard Muller thinks Chu is perfect for the post.

"I think, quite frankly, we've had too much politics with regard to energy. It's time to get down to the science of it," he said.

Steven Chu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

He went on to earn his Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley

Richard A. Muller - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ph.D. degree in physics from University of California, Berkeley