The Future of the Solar Industry

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in Solar Energy News RSS Feed #1
Myths about the use of solar energy abound. There’s the idea that solar panels are inefficient, unreliable or hard to maintain. Another myth states that solar panels are too expensive for widespread usage. (All untrue!) Perhaps one of the most persistent fallacies about solar is that PV panels can’t provide the energy you need when the sky is cloudy. Good thing that’s not correct, either. Solar panels indeed can produce electricity under all...

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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: The Future of the Solar Industry
    RSSfeed wrote: »
    Myths about the use of solar energy abound. There’s the idea that solar panels are inefficient, unreliable or hard to maintain.

    Anyone think 20% conversion is efficient? Anyone?
    Another myth states that solar panels are too expensive for widespread usage. (All untrue!)

    Well at 5X the cost for the end kW hour they are pretty darn expensive compared to standard power plant generation. Argue the why's all you want; we have to deal with the practical.
    Perhaps one of the most persistent fallacies about solar is that PV panels can’t provide the energy you need when the sky is cloudy. Good thing that’s not correct, either.

    In a pig's eye. My panels' production drops like a rock when the clouds roll in. Where are these magic 99% efficient panels that produce even during a solar eclipse?

    I suppose they'd like us to believe there's no energy storage problem either?

    Articles like this do nothing to help solar power because they are so inaccurate.
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  • ggunn
    ggunn Solar Expert Posts: 1,973 ✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: The Future of the Solar Industry
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    Anyone think 20% conversion is efficient? Anyone?
    It's all relative. Look up the efficiencies of fossil fuel power plants, the internal combustion engine, the incandescent lightbulb...

    Probably the most efficient mode of transportation is the horse. :D
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  • mtdoc
    mtdoc Solar Expert Posts: 600 ✭✭
    #4
    Re: The Future of the Solar Industry
    ggunn wrote: »
    It's all relative. Look up the efficiencies of fossil fuel power plants, the internal combustion engine, the incandescent lightbulb...

    Probably the most efficient mode of transportation is the horse. :D

    Actually the Bicycle is the most efficient8)
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: The Future of the Solar Industry
    ggunn wrote: »
    Probably the most efficient mode of transportation is the horse. :D

    Since the horse is a herbivore, the efficiency of the whole process of conversion of solar energy to food calories to mechanical work will be greater than for an omnivore like a dog or a carnivore like a big cat.

    But will the overall efficiency measured that way still be better than for fossil fuel?

    Note also that for use in the Arctic or Antarctic, the dog can make use of higher energy-density fuel (meat and fat) and therefore have a longer range per kilo of food carried. (And they can also survive by eating other dogs, Go Amundsen!)
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: The Future of the Solar Industry
    mtdoc wrote: »
    Actually the Bicycle is the most efficient8)
    How about a horse with large wheels?
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • mtdoc
    mtdoc Solar Expert Posts: 600 ✭✭
    #7
    Re: The Future of the Solar Industry
    inetdog wrote: »
    Since the horse is a herbivore, the efficiency of the whole process of conversion of solar energy to food calories to mechanical work will be greater than for an omnivore like a dog or a carnivore like a big cat.

    OK I'll qualify my previous post - a vegitarian bicylist is the most effecient..:p
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