Renewable Revolution

So you don't have access to your own rail gun or military space laser....but never fear, we'll use the 1000 Watts/m2 of free sunlight in your backyard!! But how? 

....A 13 square foot magnifying glass! 

Seriously. A solid glass lens that size would be silly, but instead we can use a 4 foot wide Fresnel lens. You know, those clear, flat things with the ridges, you find them on overhead projectors and rear windows on some buses? The idea is pretty simple: a Fresnel lens is just a normal curved lens chopped into thousands of little rings, but just as effective.

Agelbert NOTE: Persons lacking knowledge of light concentration physics that assume industrial civilization requires fossil fuels for manufacturing of any and all metal alloys, glass, plastics, insulation, bricks, fiber optics, reflective film, mirrors, solar cells, wind turbines or WHATEVER will find the article depressing.