| Re: Do not feed the Dinosaur!
Bill Baka <bbaka@comcast.net> writes:
> Eeyore wrote:
> > Bill Baka wrote:
> > I don't rate solar panels as an intelligent solution to today's
> > energy issues either for ppl
> > who live on-grid.
>
> Why not? Even at only 20% efficiency they are better than fossil
> fuel. That is the sticking point for right now. All kinds of money is
> being spent on research to find a solar cell that goes to even 30%. If
> we would just start buying what is available now instead of waiting
> for the Nirvana of more efficient solar cells we might be digging out
> of our oil problem.
The problem is the capital cost versus the power you get out of it.
Right now, buying electricity from a utility costs you less than
interest + depreciation on a solar-panel installation. It is
improving each year, but we are not at the break-even point yet. One
thing being done to help things along is to provide tax credits, with
a goal of increasing demand in order to get economies of scale.
--
My real name backwards: nemuaZ lliB
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