Very cheap solar power
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From: jimp on 19 Feb 2010 20:11 In sci.physics habshi(a)anony.net wrote: > So what that means is, in terms of cost, is you can use 100 times less > silicon. And that's potentially very significant." Not really. When you add up all the cell manufacturing costs, the support acquisition and installation costs, the inverter and controller costs, the wiring acquisition and installation costs, permits, taxes and all the miscellaneous other costs to put up solar power connected to the grid, the silicon cost is trivial. FYI I recently ran through the exercise to put a solar panel. The panel item cost is dwarfed by all the other costs to install a working system. You are still an idiot. -- Jim Pennino Remove .spam.sux to reply.
From: habshi on 23 Feb 2010 17:16 Britain will soon become energy independent because the govt has brought in feed tarriffs for all forms of renewable energy. And China's leaps and bounds proves that govt investment pays huge dividends excerpt http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5275444,00.html According to the institute, 68 percent of the solar thermal plants installed worldwide are in China, where the government urged the industry early on to produce collectors. The thinking behind it was purely economical: solar heating is much cheaper than heating with oil or gas - particularly for those with little money. Depending on the region, solar thermal plants can offset up to 60 percent of the energy required for warm water and heating. The technology is simple: The sun's rays are absorbed by a flat or pipe-shaped collector which is connected to a warm water vault. A heat transfer fluid such as water or air circulates between the two systems. As soon as the temperature in the storage vault rises beyond a few degrees, a circulating pump is activated. The sun's heat is transported to the storage vault and is sent back to the collector where the heat cycle begins anew. Bildunterschrift: Gro�ansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Germany is one of Europe's leading solar thermal countries The solar thermal market is booming. In 2008, it jumped by around 40 percent due to high oil prices. And it's expected to grow by around 15 to 20 percent yearly in the coming years. In addition to China, other big markets include Germany, Austria, Greece, Turkey, Japan and Israel. In fact, Israel was the first country 30 years ago to make solar thermal plants mandatory for new buildings. Huge energy-saving capacity An estimated 60 million households worldwide heat water with the help of the sun. Solar warm water and heating system produce an estimated 174 terawatts of energy yearly. That's the equivalent of Poland's electricity needs by 2020. And solar warm water and heating systems produce more energy than geothermal, photovoltaic and solar thermal power plants together. Together with wind energy, solar thermal energy is considered the main driving force for replacing fossil-based energy with renewable energy. Bildunterschrift: Gro�ansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Sunny southern Europe has just begun investing in solar thermal It's also hoped to make Europe less reliant on energy imports. A study by Swiss bank Sarasin says that Europe could cut 30 percent of its oil imports from the Middle East if it targeted the use of solar thermal energy. But Europe is still far removed from that target. Sunny countries such as Italy and Spain, which now have laws promoting the use of renewable energy, have long ignored the technology. Solar thermal energy has now found mention in the EU's renewable energy directive for the first time and EU member states have to present their plans for the national implementation of the directive by June. "It's a unique opportunity to drive forward a technology which lacks a confident industry and a financial instrument such as feed-in tariffs for solar-powered electricity," said Baerbel Epp from the Global Solar Thermal Energy Council in Brussels. Epp pointed out that the German model of feed-in tariffs, which allow homeowners to receive money for producing solar electricity, had been adopted around the world. But solar thermal energy still lacked such well-proven subsidies, Epp said. "The potential to develop further is still huge," said Fawer. But first the expensive and complex solar thermal systems need a robust consumer base with money to spend, he said. "That's why the conditions are particularly good in emerging economies with their new middle class," he said. Sarasin reckons that new solar thermal markets are likely to develop in Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa and Brazil. But promising signs are also visible in southern Europe, the US and Australia. Training staff early on High hopes are also pinned on India where solar thermal energy has been blocked by long waiting periods for licenses to be awarded and a lack of publicity. That's despite the technology being promoted by the Indian government and a strong potential market. Baerbel Epp pointed out that it was important to begin early with providing training to installation and engineering companies. "Otherwise there's going to be a lack of know-how in new buildings or those that are upgraded," she said.
From: jimp on 23 Feb 2010 17:54 In sci.physics habshi(a)anony.net wrote: > Britain will soon become energy independent because the govt has > brought in feed tarriffs for all forms of renewable energy. Yep, and pigs will fly, the British will all have good teeth, and Habshi will get his "knowledge" from real books instead of comics. Or the more likely result will be taxes will skyrocket, the lights will start flickering, and a bunch of people will freeze in the winter. -- Jim Pennino Remove .spam.sux to reply.
From: habshi on 25 Feb 2010 19:07 excerpt For less than the monthly cost of most cell phone plans, many North Texans can now use renewable solar energy to help power their homes. TXU Energy's new solar program, in cooperation with SolarCity, a national leader in solar financing, design, installation, monitoring and related services, will provide North Texas homeowners with solar power systems that can allow them to save money on energy costs from day one. The program will include a solar lease option that includes installation, monitoring, repairs and insurance for a low monthly fee. As an example, a 4-kilowatt residential solar system, appropriate for a typical 3-4 bedroom home, would initially cost approximately $35 a month, with no upfront cost. Customers could purchase the same system outright for $26,000, not including rebates or federal tax incentives. The new solar program is only available in Texas through TXU Energy. "Texans want affordable renewable energy choices, and we're providing them the choices they want at a cost they can afford," said Jim Burke, CEO of TXU Energy. "We all have a vested interest in our shared environment," said Rep. Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas). "I applaud TXU Energy and SolarCity for taking the lead to provide Texans with clean, renewable power." "Our solar lease provides North Texas homeowners the ability to adopt clean power for less than they previously paid for electricity, and save money from day one," said Lyndon Rive, CEO of SolarCity. "We expect this offer to significantly increase the adoption of solar power in Texas." "Texas is leading the nation in alternative energy sources. Solar power is an excellent source of energy but making it affordable has been difficult until now," said Rep. Linda Harper-Brown (R-Irving). "With the help of TXU Energy, the citizens of North Texas will be able to afford solar power and will have another option to lower their energy bills." "Today marks a new chapter in bringing renewable energy to Texas on a mass scale," said Jim Marston, founding director for the Texas office of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). "Thanks to leading companies like TXU Energy and SolarCity, advancing sustainable energy practices is taking a big step forward today." For more information, North Texas residents can call 877-TXU-SOLAR or go online at www.txu.com/solar. About TXU Energy TXU Energy is a market-leading competitive retailer that provides electricity and related services to more than 2 million electricity customers in Texas. T
From: habshi on 25 Feb 2010 19:07
As a way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with transport, in a joint project between the Delhi government and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), 1,000 solar powered rickshaws will ferry competitors around the Games villages and to assist them in reach sporting venues from public transport stations. The Soleckshaws are a form of Pedicab, a pedal-operated and motor assisted zero-carbon emission, urban transport vehicle. The speed of a Soleckshaw matches a powered vehicle in downtown traffic conditions; around 10-15 km/hr. While there are no solar panels on the rickshaw itself, each Soleckshaw carries a deep cycle battery that is recharged from a central recharging station which is powered by solar energy. The rickshaw motor is a 240 watt, 36 volt BLDC type Hub Motor located on the front wheel. |