Germany Going Solar, Big Time

[martinss01]

It would be nice if this stuff caught on more here in the U.S. but so many people don't get the big picture. At least there is hope that one day we might buy into going green.

MOST people in this country are living paycheck to paycheck desperately trying to keep up with their mortgage and credit card payments. MOST people in this country haven't the extra 22k to drop on a green power source.

furthermore, would pumping 22k into alternative power generation increase property value by 22k? if the answer is anything other than yes, thats a tough sell...

i am curious as to how well this works in areas that are clowdy a significant portion of the time. how well do these systems work without direct sunlight?

 

[Buckeyedynasty]

MOST people in this country are living paycheck to paycheck desperately trying to keep up with their mortgage and credit card payments. MOST people in this country haven't the extra 22k to drop on a green power source.

furthermore, would pumping 22k into alternative power generation increase property value by 22k? if the answer is anything other than yes, thats a tough sell...

i am curious as to how well this works in areas that are clowdy a significant portion of the time. how well do these systems work without direct sunlight?

Chill dude...I am one of those people and I make less than 22k and I still have made changes to my lifestyle so don't give me that. Besides there are plenty of people who are rich who don't make the changes and they could afford them. As far as places where it is cloudy most of the time I know that wind power is doing great things. I believe in Sweden or someplace they took the wind turbine like things and put them in water to see if they would work as well and they have had a lot of success. So now they use their aboundant natural resource of water to accomplish the same type of thing.

 

[jimotis4heisman]

arizona state has a large solar farm.

 

[Dryden]

i am curious as to how well this works in areas that are clowdy a significant portion of the time. how well do these systems work without direct sunlight?

As well as your solar powered calculator works under a 60W incandescent lightbulb, or as well as any other solar powered items work outdoors even on an overcast day.

Photovoltaic systems store energy in both the visable and infrared spectrums, so cloud diffusion isn't a huge issue. If there is enough light to see there is enough light to draw some quantity of usable power. If there is enough light to cast a shadow, that is more than ample to power your entire home plus what you're sending back to the grid or storing in batteries. You do not need 14 hours of continuous sunlight year round, though that is obviously ideal.

Direct sunlight (or lack of it) isn't a problem in the northeast (as evidenced by installations being encouraged in NY/NJ). The bigger problem is having the solar cells getting blanketed with snow on your roof in the winter where you cannot access them to clean them. This has been solved (partly) with heaters.

 

[Taosman]

The current photovoltaic cells are about 18% efficient because the use only a small portion of the light spectrum. Next generation cells will use much more of the spectrum for improved efficiency and lower cost. Also getting away from silicon materials will bring costs down.

The costs are currently so high that a government subsidy or tax credit is the only way they make economic sense.
We need the Federal government on board. Not just lip service by those with Big Oil connections.
I had hot water panels on my first house way back in the late 80s and they worked great. Cut my fuel heating bill in half. We got a cheap loan for the system from the government.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Dangers of solar power:

 

[Taosman]

Actually, they don't reflect much energy. They're designed not to. But, you knew that, right? :tongue2:

 

[Jake]

It would be nice if this stuff caught on more here in the U.S. but so many people don't get the big picture. At least there is hope that one day we might buy into going green.

If by "big picture" you mean "global warming" some of us have refused to buy it by choice, because it's politics disguised as science.

Alternative energies are a good idea, but not at higher costs under the guise of "saving the environment" to redistribute wealth via so-called "carbon credits". When we can do them more affordably than traditional sources - without sacrificing efficiency - I'll be the first guy in line to purchase them. :)

 

[Gatorubet]

If by "big picture" you mean "global warming" some of us have refused to buy it by choice, because it's politics disguised as science.

Alternative energies are a good idea, but not at higher costs under the guise of "saving the environment" to redistribute wealth via so-called "carbon credits". When we can do them more affordable than traditional sources - without sacrificing efficiency - I'll be the first guy in line to purchase them. :)

I'm pretty sure that "big picture" means more conservation and alternate energy sources, and less reliance on oil.

 

[Taosman]

Politics? That most of the world including China seem to agree on. But, don't let that stop you from believing the "company" line.

And if you heat your hotwater by solar not ony is it effective, it's reasonable. (pay back in 6-8 years) I know from personal experience. I did it in the 80's. It cut my heating oil bill in half!

If by "big picture" you mean "global warming" some of us have refused to buy it by choice, because it's politics disguised as science.

Alternative energies are a good idea, but not at higher costs under the guise of "saving the environment" to redistribute wealth via so-called "carbon credits". When we can do them more affordably than traditional sources - without sacrificing efficiency - I'll be the first guy in line to purchase them. :)

 

[cincibuck]

Interesting report on Science Friday, NPR. While not about Germany's leaps into alternative fuels it certainly presents some challenging thoughts about our use of oil.

Ethanol Power for the People : NPR