Is cheap Solar Power finally here?

2009-01-14 22:06:44

#1

Harmor: Error_Name_Not_Found; +605|6549|San Diego, CA, USA

Mass Production of Plastic Solar Cells: A novel photovoltaic technology moves into large-scale production.

Technology Review wrote:
In a significant milestone in the deployment of flexible, printed photovoltaics, Konarka, a solar-cell startup based in Lowell, MA, has opened a commercial-scale factory, with the capacity to produce enough organic solar cells every year to generate one gigawatt of electricity, the equivalent of a large nuclear reactor.

Organic solar cells could cut the cost of solar power by making use of inexpensive organic polymers rather than the expensive crystalline silicon used in most solar cells. What's more, the polymers can be processed using low-cost equipment such as ink-jet printers or coating equipment employed to make photographic film, which reduces both capital and manufacturing costs compared with conventional solar-cell manufacturing.

Source: http://www.technologyreview.com/read_ar … p;id=21574

Comment: I think we need to explore ALL options for alternative energy and Solar Power is but one part of it wherever it makes sense.

2009-01-14 22:19:55

#2

KuSTaV: noice; +947|6511|Gold Coast

I'd say solar is the only way out of the energy 'crisis'

Some of those ideas are really cleaver. I like the tent and umbrella idea too.

Last edited by KuSTaV (2009-01-14 22:21:01)

noice

https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/26774/awsmsanta.png

2009-01-14 22:48:08

#3

mtb0minime: minimember; +2,418|6655

tbh, the first thing I do when I finally get a career and a job and a house is buying solar panels.

2009-01-14 23:25:14

#4

DrunkFace: Germans did 911; +427|6681|Disaster Free Zone

KuSTaV wrote:
I'd say solar is the only way out of the energy 'crisis'

Are you mad?

It's one of the worst solutions.

Tidal, tropopause winds (aka jet streams), geothermal, fusion are all much better solutions.

2009-01-14 23:32:33

#5

CommieChipmunk: Member; +488|6570|Portland, OR, USA

KuSTaV wrote:
I'd say solar is the only way out of the energy 'crisis'

Some of those ideas are really cleaver. I like the tent and umbrella idea too.

Nope, it's simply a piece of the puzzle. I doubt that there will never be another single source of energy, which could be an awesome achievement for mankind, a freedom from the shackles of a single energy source will benefit everyone

2009-01-15 01:11:10

#6

LividBovine: The Year of the Cow!; +175|6380|MN

DrunkFace wrote:
KuSTaV wrote:
I'd say solar is the only way out of the energy 'crisis'
Are you mad?

It's one of the worst solutions.

Tidal, tropopause winds (aka jet streams), geothermal, fusion are all much better solutions.

It may not be the only answer, but probably the most implimentable in the short term.

I don't think the answer is going to be larger power plant type approach with future power sources. I think more regionalized ( to the extent of house to house ) sources are a better, if not quicker answer.

"The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation" - Barack Obama (a freshman senator from Illinios)

2009-01-15 01:24:29

#7

KuSTaV: noice; +947|6511|Gold Coast

DrunkFace wrote:
KuSTaV wrote:
I'd say solar is the only way out of the energy 'crisis'
Are you mad?

It's one of the worst solutions.

Tidal, tropopause winds (aka jet streams), geothermal, fusion are all much better solutions.

True.

I know tidal and geothermal are good methods for renewable energy. Jet stream is a bit.... meh. Fusion would be perfect, but for a local power source, solar would be the way to go.

noice

2009-01-15 03:45:28

#8

Burwhale: Save the BlobFish!; +136|6222|Brisneyland

Livid Bovine wrote:
I don't think the answer is going to be larger power plant type approach with future power sources. I think more regionalized ( to the extent of house to house ) sources are a better, if not quicker answer.

I agree with this, especially as there is so much energy wasted transferring power from power stations to houses etc through power lines.
Localised energy makes a lot of sense.
I have my 1kW solar array on order.

2009-01-15 05:28:25

#9

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6649

mtb0minime wrote:
tbh, the first thing I do when I finally get a career and a job and a house is buying solar panels.

Best thing about it is you sell the electricity you don't use back to the electricity company, so you can make money off it. Pretty high startup cost though.

2009-01-15 05:50:08

#10

Macca: Cylons' my kinda frak; +72|6446|Australia.

ghettoperson wrote:
mtb0minime wrote:
tbh, the first thing I do when I finally get a career and a job and a house is buying solar panels.
Best thing about it is you sell the electricity you don't use back to the electricity company, so you can make money off it. Pretty high startup cost though.

I remember watching a news repot last year or the year before, can't quite remember. However this bloke and his son in Australia managed to have a set up like that and they made roughly $2,000-3,000 AUD p/a in returns selling it to the electricity company.

I'll try and find it on the net somewhere, or maybe something quite like it.

Last edited by Macca (2009-01-15 05:51:04)

2009-01-15 11:17:48

#11

mtb0minime: minimember; +2,418|6655

ghettoperson wrote:
mtb0minime wrote:
tbh, the first thing I do when I finally get a career and a job and a house is buying solar panels.
Best thing about it is you sell the electricity you don't use back to the electricity company, so you can make money off it. Pretty high startup cost though.

Exactly my thoughts. Sure it might cost a bit to begin with, but after a while it pays for itself with the lack of electricity bills, and then goes even further when you have excess and sell it back. I once saw a little news report on a guy doing this and they showed his electric meter going backwards

2009-01-15 11:28:48

#12

Agent_Dung_Bomb: Member; +302|6736|Salt Lake City

Could you imagine what you could do if they can make this stuff even semi-transparent. Apply a coating of this to the windows in high rise structures, thus creating a huge solar panel array.

2009-01-15 11:43:42

#13

LT.Victim: Member; +1,175|6563|British Columbia, Canada

Agent_Dung_Bomb wrote:
Could you imagine what you could do if they can make this stuff even semi-transparent. Apply a coating of this to the windows in high rise structures, thus creating a huge solar panel array.

They have that..

Because the solar cells can be made transparent, Konarka is also developing a version of its solar cells that could be laminated to windows to generate electricity and serve as a window tinting.

Now they just have to implement it... The solar cells only last a few years though before they need to be replaced. So I can't imagine it being too pratical at the moment.

2009-01-15 11:43:43

#14

san4: The Mas; +311|6688|NYC, a place to live

Technology Review wrote:
However, the technology has several drawbacks that will initially limit its applications. The solar cells only last a couple of years, unlike the decades that conventional solar cells last. What's more, the solar cells are relatively inefficient. Conventional solar cells can easily convert 15 percent of the energy in sunlight into electricity; Konarka's cells only convert 3 to 5 percent.

2009-01-16 19:11:23

#15

Harmor: Error_Name_Not_Found; +605|6549|San Diego, CA, USA

What if they are just really cheap? If you can get you money back in a year or something? Energy costs where I live have steadily gone up and up since all the blackouts several years ago.

Every summer we never know if our energy will cut out with rolling blackouts.

Solar power is just a piece of the puzzle because its not economically feasible everywhere.

2009-01-16 20:01:56

#16

Turquoise: O Canada; +1,596|6405|North Carolina

DrunkFace wrote:
KuSTaV wrote:
I'd say solar is the only way out of the energy 'crisis'
Are you mad?

It's one of the worst solutions.

Tidal, tropopause winds (aka jet streams), geothermal, fusion are all much better solutions.

With current technology, yes.

If the production of solar panels picks up more like this article suggests, then the underlying logical assumption that can be made is that solar technology will improve. If the efficiency of solar panels improves enough, then the obvious abundant supply of solar energy we have access to will indeed make it the best energy source to harness.

2009-01-17 06:32:19

#17

DrunkFace: Germans did 911; +427|6681|Disaster Free Zone

Turquoise wrote:
DrunkFace wrote:
KuSTaV wrote:
I'd say solar is the only way out of the energy 'crisis'
Are you mad?

It's one of the worst solutions.

Tidal, tropopause winds (aka jet streams), geothermal, fusion are all much better solutions.
With current technology, yes.

If the production of solar panels picks up more like this article suggests, then the underlying logical assumption that can be made is that solar technology will improve. If the efficiency of solar panels improves enough, then the obvious abundant supply of solar energy we have access to will indeed make it the best energy source to harness.

But they are still only usable ~12 hours a day and in sunny conditions. The 4 I suggested can be used 24/7 without fail no matter what the weather conditions or time of day. Solar until we are able to take power from orbital power plants will always be flawed with these problems.

Sure for personal home use, they can be a good supplement source of power but they will never be able to remove the reliance on coal and gas power stations which we need.

2009-01-17 08:06:48

#18

Turquoise: O Canada; +1,596|6405|North Carolina

DrunkFace wrote:
Turquoise wrote:
DrunkFace wrote:

Are you mad?

It's one of the worst solutions.

Tidal, tropopause winds (aka jet streams), geothermal, fusion are all much better solutions.
With current technology, yes.

If the production of solar panels picks up more like this article suggests, then the underlying logical assumption that can be made is that solar technology will improve. If the efficiency of solar panels improves enough, then the obvious abundant supply of solar energy we have access to will indeed make it the best energy source to harness.
But they are still only usable ~12 hours a day and in sunny conditions. The 4 I suggested can be used 24/7 without fail no matter what the weather conditions or time of day. Solar until we are able to take power from orbital power plants will always be flawed with these problems.

Sure for personal home use, they can be a good supplement source of power but they will never be able to remove the reliance on coal and gas power stations which we need.

Wind power is definitely versatile and well suited for areas like the great plains of the U.S.

Geothermal is very limited in availability. There are a limited number of areas in the world that have geothermal energy sources close enough to the Earth's surface for harnessing this power in a cost efficient manner. Iceland is one of those few areas.

Fusion/nuclear power is definitely a good source to exploit, but waste disposal methods are expensive. Still, Canada and France have shown how effective it can be (and France has also shielded itself from being Russia's energy bitch).

A multifaceted approach would be best, but wind, nuclear, and solar power are all useful on a greater level.

2009-01-18 21:32:18

#19

san4: The Mas; +311|6688|NYC, a place to live

DrunkFace wrote:
KuSTaV wrote:
I'd say solar is the only way out of the energy 'crisis'
Are you mad?

It's one of the worst solutions.

Tidal, tropopause winds (aka jet streams), geothermal, fusion are all much better solutions.

Tidal power ftw! It's similar to wind power except more reliable and completely out of sight.

2009-01-19 01:36:14

#20

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|6675|Canberra, AUS

I heard about this last year but I had no idea it was this well advanced.

It won't get anywhere though, without good marketing, support and RnD aimed at commercialization.

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2009-01-19 01:37:57

#21

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|6675|Canberra, AUS

san4 wrote:
Technology Review wrote:
However, the technology has several drawbacks that will initially limit its applications. The solar cells only last a couple of years, unlike the decades that conventional solar cells last. What's more, the solar cells are relatively inefficient. Conventional solar cells can easily convert 15 percent of the energy in sunlight into electricity; Konarka's cells only convert 3 to 5 percent.

15% is fucking incredible, you know, once you think about it...

Coal has to be in the single digits, as is basically everything else. You can't get much better than 20%. Even nuclear, I think, struggles.

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

2009-01-19 01:50:32

#22

BVC: Member; +325|6696

Anyone know what hydro's efficiency typically is?

2009-01-19 02:16:36

#23

GodFather: Blademaster's bottom bitch; +387|6220|Phoenix, AZ

down here in Arizona everyone's taking advantage of solar energy...

Our school is starting to put solar panels on the roof, a lot of large buildings use solar arrays on the roofs

2009-01-19 19:24:45

#24

Spark: liquid fluoride thorium reactor; +874|6675|Canberra, AUS

Pubic wrote:
Anyone know what hydro's efficiency typically is?

It doesn't really matter given what the "waste" product is...

The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
^{~ Richard Feynman}

BF2S Forums Is cheap Solar Power finally here?

Technology Review wrote:

KuSTaV wrote:

KuSTaV wrote:

DrunkFace wrote:

KuSTaV wrote:

DrunkFace wrote:

KuSTaV wrote:

Livid Bovine wrote:

mtb0minime wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

mtb0minime wrote:

ghettoperson wrote:

mtb0minime wrote:

Agent_Dung_Bomb wrote:

Technology Review wrote:

DrunkFace wrote:

KuSTaV wrote:

Turquoise wrote:

DrunkFace wrote:

KuSTaV wrote:

DrunkFace wrote:

Turquoise wrote:

DrunkFace wrote:

DrunkFace wrote:

KuSTaV wrote:

san4 wrote:

Technology Review wrote:

Pubic wrote:

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