PV Gap

Eleanor Said:

Solar Panels vs. Cost: Worth it?

We Answered:

Your math is right. Solar today is not going to be cheaper powering just your gaming computer, compared to grid electricity.

A modern computer is a special case, because it has a switching power supply generally capable to accepting a wide range of input voltages. So if you had an array putting out 150 to 330 volts DC, you could probably hook your computer up to it directly, no inverter required. The problem is, to get up to that voltage, you'd need maybe 6 modern panels, and that has a cost running into the thousands, as you say.

Chester Said:

How much would 100 square MILES of Solar Panels cost?

We Answered:

I believe the more correct figure is a square 100 miles on a side. That's about the size of Death Valley National Park, but it would be distributed over many locations, of course, just as we don't build one single giant nuclear or coal plant in one location, and supply the whole country with it.

You can work out the price yourself, finding a solar panel online, and finding the cost per square meter, but I think it rivals the National Debt owed by each man, woman, and child in this country.

Janet Said:

Energy and cost savings of solar panels?

We Answered:

The quickest way to break even with a solar powered system for your home is to buy and install all the equipment yourself. It is not that bad if you are handy around the house or like to work on cars. Check out http://www.monofuel.com for plans and advice.

Marvin Said:

How much does 1000 square feet of solar panels cost (pool heating)?

We Answered:

the expensive way is to have solar panels make electricity to run an electric heater.

the cheap way is to have panels heat the water directly.

that's a fairly large pool, but it should work.
probably not in Alaska in January.
but then, you're not going to generate any electricity there either.

Andre Said:

How much do Solar panels Cost?

We Answered:

Hi Kate,

As I am from the states it took me a bit to figure out just what is a "Bach." I have had some embarrassing difficulty with other words when I was in New Zealand so I am not surprised. We might call it a "trailer home" or a "mobil home" but I like your word better.1

At the risk of giving you more information than you wanted: "Solar panels" can come in many different dimensions and sizes. But first you should know that there are solar photovoltaic panels that are used to produce electricity and while experimentally they have achieved efficiencies around 40% what you can buy will be around 14% efficient. Because of the reduced efficiency you have to use more of them. This site gives you some information about sizes and prices. 2

I have a small one (about 25cm by 35cm) that was shipped with a car to keep it's battery charged from the factory to the dealership. It produces a "trickle charge" of just over 12 volts DC and is meant to plug into the cigarette lighter. If your Bach were only going to use 12 volt DC power with batteries for night time use then the connections would be simpler but if you needed the standard New Zealand voltage of 230 volts at 50 cycles AC you would have to use an inverter to change the power from 12volt DC.

But there is also another kind of "solar panel" and that is the Solar thermal panel. This is a much older technology. Because it is used to gather heat from the sun it is much more efficient. Around 60 to 80% efficiency is possible. It is a good idea to take a lot of the load off any photovoltaic requirements by first installing solar thermal panels. This is a way to keep the cost at a minimum. Solar thermal applications can be used for heating hot water, space heating, and even air conditioning and producing electricity. The panels available can be used on colder and cloudy days as well. (vacuum tube collectors)

Good luck with your project.