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sonam batra
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 3
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 Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:42 am Post subject: solar electricity |
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hi
i m preparing a seminar on ADVANTAGES OF PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL OVER ELECTRICITY
so i wud like to knw wat are the cost parameters involved in it.
how economical is it to use solar energy[/b] |
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Antisthenes
Joined: 28 Nov 2006
Posts: 591
Location: Phoenix
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| Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 11:16 am Post subject: |
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it's free after a time you pay back the costs of the unit
I have lived on solar power since the 80s np
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The most necessary/useful piece of learning is that which unlearns what is untrue: 'evil'
may be acquired, Happiness through virtue which is based on knowledge!/? |
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sonam batra
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 3:25 am Post subject: solar electricity |
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thanx..........
but i wud like to knw its reduction in the use of energy over electricity
like how much reduction occurs in the use of electricity consumption |
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Antisthenes
Joined: 28 Nov 2006
Posts: 591
Location: Phoenix
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| Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:58 am Post subject: |
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100% ?
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The most necessary/useful piece of learning is that which unlearns what is untrue: 'evil'
may be acquired, Happiness through virtue which is based on knowledge!/? |
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birgco
Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 302
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| Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 3:37 pm Post subject: solar power |
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Hi Sonam,
let me give you an example of a typical solar pv system in the northeast, U.S.
A 4 kilowatt system will cost, after state and federal rebates about $20,000. It will produce about $75 of electricity per month so you can see the payback is quite long. I would not install a solar electric system only for economic reasons because it is far cheaper to buy power off the grid. I will be installing a solar pv system because I believe in the environmental benefits and the technology should be steadily improving. The key to benefiting from solar is to design an integrated home/building that utilizes several energy saving technologies including super insulation, radiant heat/with evacuated tube tech, passive solar/lighting design and as many energy efficient appliances and light fixtures you are able to find. The better you plan/design the home, the less electrical load you will need. Ideally you would want have a home use no more than $50 - $75 per month in electricity. Any excess is sold back to the utilility company in many states. There is even a company that sells a solar powered cental A/C system that will lower electric consumption by approx. 90%, it uses 2 pv panels with a DC compressor motor.
The savings in pv panels is not so much in the solar technology, but the design of a structure which takes advantage of the environmental benefits of not using energy generated by fossil fuel and creates a more effecient structure through good design.
Hope this helps. |
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alexneverhurts
Joined: 01 Jun 2007
Posts: 43
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| Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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The best solar cell existing in the lab now has about 15% efficiency, which means only 15% solar energy shined upon the cell is converted to electric power. The industrialized products are far blow this value, which, as I remember, was only 5% years ago. Not sure about today. Probably close to 10%?
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"Everyone is born a king, and most people die in exile." --- Oscar Wilde |
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birgco
Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 302
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:13 am Post subject: |
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| I believe Sanyo is releasing a solar cell with 22 % efficiency very soon. It will take time, but solar power is the answer to climate pollution from fossil fuels. |
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joelmckellar
Joined: 31 May 2006
Posts: 86
Location: Charleston, SC
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 7:04 am Post subject: |
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With concentrators, efficiencies have grown to as high as 35%. The NREL put together an interesting chart showing the progression since the seventies, including emerging cell technologies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nrel_best_research_pv_cell_efficiencies.png
One company, Octillion, is working on a transparent thin-film spray that can ultimately be added to existing windows. They have a stable, working strategy but it is not yet ready for commercial production.
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Joel McKellar, LEED AP
http://www.reallifeleed.com/ |
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alexneverhurts
Joined: 01 Jun 2007
Posts: 43
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| Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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I just learned that Spectrolab reported 40% power efficiency last year, but it's based on compound semiconductor materials and very complicated multi-layer structure, which makes its fabrication cost extremely high, and currently impossible for industrial use.
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Antisthenes
Joined: 28 Nov 2006
Posts: 591
Location: Phoenix
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| Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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ahh the waiting game for new tech to come to the market...
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The most necessary/useful piece of learning is that which unlearns what is untrue: 'evil'
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lekizz
millennium club
Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 1045
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 4:48 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | but i wud like to knw its reduction in the use of energy over electricity
like how much reduction occurs in the use of electricity consumption |
From what you say, you are not reducing electricity consumption, you are only using electricity created from a different source i.e. the Sun.
In terms of costs, you need to do some simple maths. Energy from the Sun is free, while in contrast your local electricity company will send you a bill! How much does a KW of energy cost from your mains supplier? Well, you will save that amount of money for every 'free' KW of energy you generate from your solar panel.
But, obviously, you have to spend a considerable amount of money to buy and install your PV panel(s). The efficiency of the panels in converting sunlight to electricity will influence how long it takes you to recover the cost of installing your equipment. The more efficient the cell(s), the quicker the pay-back.
Your local electricity company probably burns 'fossil fuels' (coal, gas?) to make electricity. The big advantage to the planet of your PV cells is they produce sustainable energy, no CO2 emissions, no pollution. |
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