[Boot Hill]

article:   "With the high energy bills shocking California ratepayers this month, there is no better time to jump start an affordable solar power market bringing true independence from our over-reliance on natural gas"

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Where your connection to the electric utility grid is either non-existent or problematic, solar cells can offer a practical solution. However, when used as a supplement to, or replacement for the grid, there is simply no rational economic way to justify the use of photovoltaic cells...

 

The Inefficiencies of Solar Power
(Based upon a horizontal PV array located at
the average continental U.S. latitude of 38º.)

ref.	source	loss (%)	power (per m2)
1.	Solar flux	-	1,368 W
2.	Atmospheric losses	45	752 W
3.	Night times losses	50	376 W
4.	Solar angle losses	50	188 W
5.	Cell conversion losses	88	22.6 W
6.	DC®AC inverter losses	10	20.3 W
7.	Net efficiency		1.5%
8.	Net energy             (per m2 per day)		0.5 kWh
9.	Value of energy     (per m2 per day)		4.3 ¢
10.	Solar panel cost               (per m2)		$530
11.	Payback period		33 years
Notes: Above the atmosphere. Compare to solar constant. Loss = atmos. absorp. + atmos. reflect. + cloud absorp. + cloud reflect. See additional references: 1,   2,   3 Necessary for calculating average daily value of energy production. Effect of solar angle on efficiency. Line 4 equals 4.5kWh per day. Compare to U.S. Average Daily Solar Radiation. Shell SQ175-PC, including specified de-rating for cell temperature and irradiance level. 5kW modular, certified, grid-interactive, inverter. Line 6 divided by line 1. Line 6 times 86,400 and divided by 3.6E6. From 2004 DOE stats for average U.S. residential price. Shell SQ175-PC solar panel, $699, 1.32m2 area. Exclusive of installation, inverter, interest, etc.

 
Let's put those numbers into practical terms...
How much energy do we get out of our $530 solar panel?

1. It will only light a single 60 watt light bulb for a 1/3 of a day!
2. It's the same amount of energy contained in 0.16 gallons of gasoline!
3. You'd get the same amount of energy by burning a 2 inch long 2x4!
4. It is the amount of energy contained in just four scoops of vanilla ice cream!
5. It's only 2% of the average daily household consumption of energy.

[Young Werther]

First: Change the Lightbulbs!

[Amerigomag]

Valuable information but in this case the secret is in the chip. Follow the money to the chip. Follow it from the middle class, consumer's pocket to the pocket of two entrepreneurs and their Chinese partners to the governor's reelection campaign fund. A review of previous threads on this transfer of wealth scheme will provide the a road map.

[RadioAstronomer]

Indeed, not the most efficient way of generating electricity. Why I am a big proponent of Nuclear Power. However, I have some land and a trailer on a piece of property in Wyoming still. All electrical stuff is Solar powered. TV, lights, radio, satellite dish, computers, etc. Works well for me.

[null and void]

Line item 4.

What idiot puts up a horizontal array? It costs essentially nothing to angle them to the proper angle for any given latitude.

[SierraWasp]

Comin through for you... That's what Boot Hill people do!!!

Thank you Sir! Bravo!! Encore!!! Hit it again, harder! HARDER!!!

[SierraWasp]

"11. Payback period 33 years"

Hey! That sounds longer than the obligation on them (BLEEPIN) BONDS the Governor is tryin ta tangel us all up in!!!

Help America!!! CA is being driven mad by GANG-GREEN and our GangGreenGovernutter!!!

[HolgerDansk]

Modern Kyocera cells are about 16% efficient, and we're paying $0.14/kWh in Norcal these days. Modern converters are 94% efficient. Plug and chug, and the return is 12 years, not 33. Panels run about $4.20 per watt, and the state will pay $2.80 of that, or about 2/3, further reducing your payoff time to about four years.

Sign me up.

[Dog Gone]

More energy is consumed in creating a single solar panel than it will ever produce in its useful lifetime.

Only the truly retarded could believe this is an energy solution.

It's an energy NET LOSS.