Solar Power Much Cheaper to Produce Than Most Analysts Realize, Study Finds

[saveliberty]

Save Liberty, for your information. A 5 kw system means that a high noon, the system will put out 5 kw. Over the course of a summer day, it will put out as much as 30 kwh. In the winter, much less. A 5 kw systme will handle most people's needs. You really need to do more research before you make really dumb comments.

Try to run your house with A/C in the summer on 30kWh per day.

What an ignorant comment.

 

[Dragon]

Save Liberty, for your information. A 5 kw system means that a high noon, the system will put out 5 kw. Over the course of a summer day, it will put out as much as 30 kwh. In the winter, much less. A 5 kw systme will handle most people's needs. You really need to do more research before you make really dumb comments.

Try to run your house with A/C in the summer on 30kWh per day.

What an ignorant comment.

Comparisons of Household Power Usage

"Household electricity use: 6,000 kWh per household per year for 3 residents average per household." (=16.4 kwh per day)

Another source:

Power Consumption of a US Home

"The average household in the United States uses about 8,900 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year." (=24.38 kwh per day). The higher figure probably results because the figure above was set somewhat arbitrarily for 3 residents. Of course, smaller households, e.g. a couple with no children, would use even less electricity.

In any case, this is well within the capacity of that 30 kwh per day system. And incidentally, it is not true that it would produce significantly less energy in the wintertime. It would decline slightly not due to lower temperatures but due to shorter days; however, the areas in which the decline would be most pronounced -- far northern latitudes -- are also those areas where the use of electricity for air conditioning is least, or even nonexistent.

The consumption of that "average" house might climb above 30 kwh per day during the summer, but adequate power storage would make this an insignificant problem, since the system would produce excess power in other parts of the year. (On that basis, it might actually be overkill.)

 

[daveman]

Save Liberty, for your information. A 5 kw system means that a high noon, the system will put out 5 kw. Over the course of a summer day, it will put out as much as 30 kwh. In the winter, much less. A 5 kw systme will handle most people's needs. You really need to do more research before you make really dumb comments.

Yes, but 5kW is the maximum amount that will be available at any one time.

And that ain't much. 41 amps. You could run only two 20-amp circuits in your breaker box.

 

[daveman]

I just cannot believe how many on the right automatically are against any alternative energy sources.
Damned luddites.

But the same person will praise any tech improvement in fossil powered vehicles

I can certainly believe how many leftists repeat mindless leftist talking points and insist they're true.

Wind and solar simply aren't practical in much of the nation.

 

[Old Rocks]

Save Liberty, for your information. A 5 kw system means that a high noon, the system will put out 5 kw. Over the course of a summer day, it will put out as much as 30 kwh. In the winter, much less. A 5 kw systme will handle most people's needs. You really need to do more research before you make really dumb comments.

Yes, but 5kW is the maximum amount that will be available at any one time.

And that ain't much. 41 amps. You could run only two 20-amp circuits in your breaker box.

Damn, this is like talking to a 2 year old.

OK, DaveBoy, note that I have consistantly pointed out that most systems are grid parallel. That means that when you are using more than what your system put out, you are taking the extra off of the grid. And when you are using less, you are putting power on the grid. Your meter is spinning backwards. Most of us are at work during the day, and the system would be putting power on the grid for the whole time. And when we use the power at night, that is the time that industry is using the least power. So, a home system that is parallel to the grid is adding power when industry is using the most, and the homeowner is using the power off of the grid when industry needs it the least. A win-win for all.

 

[saveliberty]

Save Liberty, for your information. A 5 kw system means that a high noon, the system will put out 5 kw. Over the course of a summer day, it will put out as much as 30 kwh. In the winter, much less. A 5 kw systme will handle most people's needs. You really need to do more research before you make really dumb comments.

Yes, but 5kW is the maximum amount that will be available at any one time.

And that ain't much. 41 amps. You could run only two 20-amp circuits in your breaker box.

Damn, this is like talking to a 2 year old.

OK, DaveBoy, note that I have consistantly pointed out that most systems are grid parallel. That means that when you are using more than what your system put out, you are taking the extra off of the grid. And when you are using less, you are putting power on the grid. Your meter is spinning backwards. Most of us are at work during the day, and the system would be putting power on the grid for the whole time. And when we use the power at night, that is the time that industry is using the least power. So, a home system that is parallel to the grid is adding power when industry is using the most, and the homeowner is using the power off of the grid when industry needs it the least. A win-win for all.

You turn your heat or A/C off while your at work dumbass? What about retirees? I did the math before, you're lucky to get 10% of your power needs.

 

[Mr. H.]

Check it out...

Solar power growth jumps to new record

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/solar-power-growth-jumps-record-041433307.html

(Reuters) - The national solar industry installed a record number of panels in 2011, more than double 2010, and is likely to see strong growth again this year, according to a new report.

 

[Dante]

solar: good idea

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- At least three other government-backed solar firms face the same challenging market conditions that brought down Solyndra, the now bankrupt solar panel maker that could cost taxpayers over $500 million.

The Solyndra bankruptcy is now the subject of an investigation and a fierce partisan fight in Congress.

The company's downfall is generally thought to have been caused by the declining price of silicon.

Solyndra haunts other government-backed solar firms - Sep. 23, 2011

 

[Old Rocks]

The solar industry is going to see many more bankruptcies. Anyone that has read the history of the automotive industry in the US can see the number of failed companies that occured in the early history of the industry. That did not cause a failure of the whole industry. It prospered, nonetheless.

It is expensive to bring a manufacturing line up to production. If during the time you are building the line, another manufacturer finds a way to produce the same product with much cheaper machinery, for far less cost in materials, you are bankrupt when your plant opens. And we are going to see much of this in solar and batteries. The technology is advancing very quickly.

For both technologies, the future is bright, and those that are able to stay ahead of the curve will see vast profits. EVs are going to happen, and solar allows the homeowner to power both his home and his vehicle. Also, with the amount of roof space in every nation on earth, when the big jump in solar efficiency occurs, nobody will be able to afford to leave that space unused.

For the home owner, the EV will provide not only transportation, but emergency backup when the grid goes down. These technologies are win-win for those that wish for more individual and economic independence.

 

[Old Rocks]

New Electric Car Battery Could Double Capacity and Halve Cost

New Electric Car Battery Could Double Capacity and Halve Cost


Well, this is an exciting bit of news for green drivers. Envia Systems has come up with a new battery technology that could give a $20,000 electric car a range of 300 miles to a charge. Yes, please?

The General Motors-backed Envia Systems has come up with a new process that creates a battery with an energy density of 400 watt-hours per kilogram. To put that in perspective, the lithium cells found in most electric cars today only pack about 100-150 Wh/kg. Even the batteries on Tesla's forthcoming Model S only pack in around 240Wh/kg. In terms of cost, when it was first produced, the Nissan Leaf's battery cost around $375 per kilowatt-hour. The Envia battery is projected to cost just $125 per kilowatt-hour.

 

[daveman]

Save Liberty, for your information. A 5 kw system means that a high noon, the system will put out 5 kw. Over the course of a summer day, it will put out as much as 30 kwh. In the winter, much less. A 5 kw systme will handle most people's needs. You really need to do more research before you make really dumb comments.

Yes, but 5kW is the maximum amount that will be available at any one time.

And that ain't much. 41 amps. You could run only two 20-amp circuits in your breaker box.

Damn, this is like talking to a 2 year old.

If you had anything to back up your arrogance, you might be interesting to talk to.

"Being a liberal" isn't sufficient.

I worked with power generation and power systems for 20 years with the Air Force. I think that gives me a little more experience to speak from than a guy with a Mother Earth News subscription.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Solar Power Much Cheaper to Produce Than Most Analysts Realize, Study Finds
ScienceDaily (Dec. 7, 2011) — The public is being kept in the dark about the viability of solar photovoltaic energy, according to a study conducted at Queen's University.
Solar power much cheaper to produce than most analysts realize, study finds

Many analysts project a higher cost for solar photovoltaic energy because they don't consider recent technological advancements and price reductions," says Joshua Pearce, Adjunct Professor, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. "Older models for determining solar photovoltaic energy costs are too conservative."

Dr. Pearce believes solar photovoltaic systems are near the "tipping point" where they can produce energy for about the same price other traditional sources of energy.

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then why can't any of them make a profit even with hundreds of billions from us?

sorry, this flies in the face of reality

 

[Mr. H.]

New Electric Car Battery Could Double Capacity and Halve Cost

New Electric Car Battery Could Double Capacity and Halve Cost

Halve cost, will travel.

 

[saveliberty]

Still as unreliable a source as ever though.

 

[Dragon]

then why can't any of them make a profit even with hundreds of billions from us?

Many of them do. There are lots of profitable solar-power companies out there. You are focusing on the failures (of which there are ALWAYS bound to be some) to reinforce what you want to believe. (Although I still don't understand why you want to believe it.) That isn't the whole picture, and it's not representative of the whole picture. Renewable energy is a growing industry, on the whole quite successful and likely to become much more so in the future. On the way, some companies will fail. Many will succeed. And that's what's happening right now, too.

 

[saveliberty]

The "successful" ones sell in Europe. That's another whole layer of subsidy.

 

[kwc57]

The cells being developed by teams from the University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University have the potential to achieve a light-to-energy conversion rate, or solar efficiency, of 40 percent or better, according to the researchers.

The photovoltaic cells are intended for use in satellites and space instruments. Currently, the silicon-based solar cells that NASA uses in its satellites and instruments have efficiencies of only up to 23 percent, according to NASA statistics.

Solar cell breakthrough could hit 40 percent efficiency | Green Tech - CNET News

Solar technology charges forward despite Washington's backward march.

5 breakthroughs that will make solar power cheaper than coal | MNN

How many of those "lying, ignorant" scientists got that "awful" American education?

I can't wait to see the trains, planes and automobiles running off of solar and wind power. I bet they will be awesome!

 

[Dragon]

The "successful" ones sell in Europe. That's another whole layer of subsidy.

Why do you keep saying things like this when you don't know what you're talking about? Obviously you WANT to believe what you're saying; what I don't get for a second is why. Consider that renewable energy, much more so than fossil fuels or nuclear power, is amenable to a decentralized approach in which every homeowner is responsible for and in control of his own energy production, and no longer at the mercy of utility monopolies and government regulators. Isn't that a good thing? Why in the world would you prefer a centralized, necessarily monopolistic and heavily regulated energy system to that? I don't get it.

Anyway, the solar and wind industry is growing by leaps and bounds in the United States, not just in Europe. And by that I mean the customer base and the rate of sales. So, no. You're wrong.

 

[saveliberty]

Your economic interests in promoting solar power is noted. I have done the research. Apparently you are reading only information provide to you.

 

[Mr. H.]

This is neat:

Solar power station in Spain works at night - Yahoo! News

As a result, the plant produces 60 percent more energy than a station without storage capacity because it can work 6,400 hours a year compared to 1,200-2,000 hours for other solar power stations, he said.