PV Gap

Phillip Said:

High efficiency photovoltaic solar panels?

We Answered:

Photovoltaics are more expensive to build and maintain over the years than a mechanical system using solar reflectors to turn water to steam which powers a steam engine and a generator. The mechanical system can be totally homemade and owner maintained while the photovoltaic must be purchased and maintenance must be hired out.

When dark or cloudy there is no sun to power either one and you must do without electricity in the case of photovoltaics, but with the mechanical system you could generate power by using a bio-fuelled backup boiler to operate the steam engine. Both systems would require batteries, but the mechanical system would require fewer of them and would be cheaper there too.

Best of all, if you build your own mechanical system, most of it can be made from scrap, it costs less and the government can't tax it. Free electric power. That is why the government and electric producers will oppose your building one. Meanwhile they push photovoltaics that they can tax, that are made to wear out and be replaced and much of the stock in photovoltaic companies are held by the same people who own stock in electric companies or by those companies. The utilities don't want to lose their profits any more than the politicians want to lose their taxes.