if sunlight is free, why isn't solar energy the cheapest source of energy available?
When you think of all of the components needed to power a modern home with Photo Voltaic power, it is very expensive. The batteries alone are about $350 each and to run a home to modern standards, you would need a bank of at least 8. That is in addition to the cost of the panels, inverters, regulators, wiring, frames for the panels, tracking motors, etc.
Batteries will eventually not charge efficiently after a few years and have to be replaced.
So the cost of solar energy is more than the cost of the fuel used to create the electricity. Even though the cost of the panels is dropping, it can still take 15-20 years to recover the initial investment in energy savings.
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June 28, 2009
2:45 am
It costs money to design and build the solar panels to capture that energy from the sun. However, solar and wind power are both getting pretty close to grid parity, which means they'll be the same price or cheaper than generating energy by fossil fuels.
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June 28, 2009
3:18 am
This simple question requires a much broader understanding of the men in charge of our sources of energy. Quite simply, cheaper isn't profitable.
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June 28, 2009
3:38 am
First off: all energy is solar. All of it.
Second: the solar panels are expensive, but at this point not terribly so. Silicon technology has imporved hugely in recent years.
Third: If you live in a reasonably sunny climate (most of the US fits this description) you can deploy solar hot waters extremely cheaply and the only thing that prevents this is general public ignorance, and the local power companies bribing local law makers with restrictive zoning ordinances.
Fourth: there will be no solution until we dethrone the oil industry from our government. They stop all progress that might eat into their profits. Hang 'em high.
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June 28, 2009
4:00 am
Because the big oil & energy cartels are doing (1) everything possible for the green technology not to grow and stay dormant, (2) and brainwash societies that green technology is not practical.
The government is in bed with both cartels.
My 2 cents.
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June 28, 2009
4:34 am
When you think of all of the components needed to power a modern home with Photo Voltaic power, it is very expensive. The batteries alone are about $350 each and to run a home to modern standards, you would need a bank of at least 8. That is in addition to the cost of the panels, inverters, regulators, wiring, frames for the panels, tracking motors, etc.
Batteries will eventually not charge efficiently after a few years and have to be replaced.
So the cost of solar energy is more than the cost of the fuel used to create the electricity. Even though the cost of the panels is dropping, it can still take 15-20 years to recover the initial investment in energy savings.
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June 28, 2009
5:24 am
because the actual solar cells are very expensive to make. They require fairly rare metals and intensive manufacturing processes.
technically if you count all the photosynthesitic organisms that use the sun for energy, it is the cheapest…
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June 28, 2009
5:39 am
solar energy is not the cheapest since solar panels can't capture all the energy that the sun gives off at the moment it is about 15%-20% (this is approximate i am not truely sure of a figure)
they are working for the panels to capture more of the solar energy they are trying to get the panels to run at 80%
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June 28, 2009
6:09 am
BECAUSE IT COST ALOT OF MONEY TO BUILD THE PANELS, BUT ONCE THEIR BUILT AND INSTALLED THEN YOU BE IN CHEAP CITY. FIRST YOU PAY AND THEN YOU REST.
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COMMONLOGIC
June 28, 2009
6:37 am
Very very simple
It does not work
If it did, it would be.
You must cover a parking lot with solar panels to run a coffee maker, try to run a kitchen stove? and you will eat cold food.
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June 28, 2009
7:12 am
it is because the needed materials in building solar panels and solar enery-harvesting devices are so expensive and we need to wait for the time to come wherein humans can develop a more advanced technology which is friendly to the environment…and since oil,natural gas and nuclear power is still used due to its efficiency than solar power we are developing pollution…and for evidences of improvement we should see that in the future the power sources used are solar,wind,tidal and dark matter if possible,which emits almost no pollution
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June 28, 2009
7:52 am
Solar panels have a questionable return on investment….. Photo electric solar cells actualy use a lot of resourses and energy to manufacture. Thats why they are so expensive….. They are not efficient either….. Now one thing I have never figured out is why solar engery isnt used to heat hot water…. I have a big house with a big attic and put a 100 gallon tank up water tank up there… the tank absorbs heat from the attic all day so when I get home I have a long hot shower that costs me nothing!! When company stays over they wonder why theres a 4th water knob in the shower so I have to explain a bit…. Here in New york this only works between may and september but hey! 4 months of low natural gas bills suits me just fine…
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