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Hello,
I'm well aware of the issues surrounding renewable energy sources. Solar heat plants do not have the issues with silicon PV panels, and there are thin film panels that do not require silicon. The materials to make a wind turbine are all recyclable.
There can be heat storage with a solar heat plant -- molten salt in insulated underground tanks work very well. Also, with high voltage DC transmission, electricity can be efficiently moved (~10% loss coast to coast) and so solar and wind can be gathered over a wide geographic area (for diversity) and/or it can be gathered where it is very consistent to where it is needed:
southwest USA for solar -- Scientific American released a study recently saying that 70% of all our electricity could come from 10% of Nevada.
northern and central midwest USA and the coasts for wind -- 33% for the whole country of all out electricity could be generated in South Dakota alone.
coasts for wave and tidal -- the moon is always orbiting the earth, and wind is almost always blowing over some parts of the oceans
geothermal where it naturally occurs close to the surface or where ever a deep hole is drilled
biomass and biofuels can be done anywhere they are produced -- this can be methane, alcohol, biodiesel, biofuel cells, etc.
heat can be extracted from the ground, or from sewage pipes, or even from composting plant material. Heat and electricity can be gotten from compost and plant trimmings.
Fertilizers can all be organic.
There is so much energy available from all renewable sources, it is staggering. Please read Guy Dauncey's book "Stormy Weather" or watch his DVD "The Great Energy Revolution".
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