PV Gap

Marsha Said:

how many photovoltaic solar panels can you fit into 1 acre of land, and any idea on cost?

We Answered:

1 acre has 4000 meters squared. You could put about 2000 m^2 of panels that would produce about 720 kilo watts peak and about 3500 kw-hrs of energy.

The system would cost about $5,800,000. You would sell about $350 per day of power or $130,000 per year before operating expenses, so net about $100,000 when they fail in 25 years, you will have brought in $2,500,000.

OH well Obama will bail you out when he has placed himself in a King of the USSA.

Steve Said:

Can photovoltaic panels fully power a house in the Mediterranean?

We Answered:

You would need a room full of environmentally unfriendly batteries to provide power after sunset and so this is not exactly a green solution. It would probably be greener to rely on traditional electricity after dark.

Use PV panels for daytime power by all means and solar water heating for the house and, if you have one, swimming pool. If you need space heating in winter (I've been in Athens in sub-zero temperatures) you might consider ground source heating if you have enough room or can have a bore hole.

Do NOT get a domestic wind turbine unless the house is in an exposed location. Most never repay the carbon invested in their manufacture and shipping and do not generate enough electricity to break even before they wear out.

The economics will all depend on subsidies and local prices for electricity and equipment. PV panels are expensive and would take about 20 years to pay for themselves in the UK without the subsidies, solar water heating is a much quicker payback and has been in use in Greece for over 20 years. Ground source heating may not be worthwhile if it is not cold for long enough.

Clifton Said:

Where can I buy dye-based photovoltaic panels? I would prefer them due simply to their lower cost.?

We Answered:

I have not heard of a practical dye-based panel so far.

They may be lower cost than silicon, but that doesn't mean lower cost per watt. They may have 1/10 the cost per area of silicon, but I think the power output is much, much less than 1/10. If the link you cite is what I think it is, then the panels you make there produce microamps of current. A typical silicon wafer will give on the order of 5 amps of current (thousands of times more).

It's also poor economy when the dye-based panel wears out in a year, and needs to be replaced.