excellent commentary indeed...but in meanwhile- http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=112186
LOL, it's funny you say that. Very funny. You guys are making posts and offering your opinions of what should be done and what's wrong now with the industry as if they are based on any research. The reality is that you do not have a clue of economics behind solar and why exactly the current solar panel manufacturers are shipping out product the same day it is made. So next time, instead of trying to put others down, ask me exactly why I felt your statement was years behind what goes on in the industry. Or better yet, do some real research, instead of forming opinions & knowledge based on random articles. Nanosolar made a number of these press releases making this company sound like the next great thing since sliced bread. Yet noone can even get a technical data sheet or even the most key specs, without which it is not even possible to start sizing a system with Nanosolar's product. Marinade on that.
I just had a system quoted 2 months ago here in SoCal, $25K. The guy was quoting GE panels, bragged that it was 10 year old technology with a 20 year life span. I was asking about all the new stuff, "Fly by night dream sellers." he says. If I wanted to go cheap, I could buy Chinese panels for 25% off, but only half the life span. I forwarded to him some of the info that has been posted here and he says "If you find it and I can buy it, I'll install it for you." http://www.moviewavs.com/php/sounds...erry_Maguire"e=money1.txt&file=money1.wav
Until the company publishes the efficiency data, it's very hard to judge the viability of the technology. My understanding is that the 0.99$/W is just the panel cost. But what is the Watt per sqft? Yes the sheet may be very cheap, e.g., 0.99$ per tennis court area, but if it takes a tennis court to produce 1 W, then forget about the panel cost and start figuring the real estate, installation, and maintenance (yes it will get dusty) costs. Adding all that together will tell you if this is real.
To further illustrate the solar problem, say I can make solar electricity with water at $0.5 per watt, and how much water do I need to generate 1W? well, I need a swimming pool of water and indeed the water in the pool only costs $0.5 and it does generate 1W, so I have $0.5/W!
Excellent Commentary ............................................................................................ The other issue regarding solar...is that a major cost is the storage of electricity that the panels generate... Obviously solar panels do not produce when there is no sunlight....and also many people are at work during the day... The key again...having good batteries...and a reliable conversion system... Of course the cheapest entree would be to sell electricity to the company supplying the on grid system...One only uses actual solar when one is at home during the day... ........................................................................................... The other big issues are where you live...what is the climate etc... And of course the biggest drains on the system are air conditioning...pool water pumps...etc.. Which brings up a major point.... Energy saving air conditioning also needs to be developed to drastically reduce electrical usage...etc...the list goes on and on... ................................................................................................. What is exciting is for solar usage where it is truly beneficial now...such as in some of the developing countries currently using old technologies using diesel fuels etc..where electricity is 2x what it costs in the US...etc...etc...
>I really hope this isn't vaporware. It is. >I notice this data is nowhere to be easily >found; makes me wonder if its just hype >without deliverable product. It is. JB
Probably, but solar is viable as a long term energy source. We just put solar up at our cabin and it works great. Still too expensive to justify for the average home, but getting there.