PV Gap

Peggy Said:

How solar energy can be generated at competitive cost?

We Answered:

Professor Andrew Blakers from The Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems at the Australian National University will today report to the Greenhouse 2000 Conference in Melbourne that photovoltaic (PV) solar energy conversion can be cost-competitive with any low-emission electricity generation technology by 2030.


His paper describes how extrapolation of the huge economic and technical gains made by photovoltaics over the last 15 years gives confidence that a dramatic shift in electricity generation technology over the next quarter-century is possible.

Worldwide photovoltaic sales are growing at 40 to 50% per year. Government research & market support for photovoltaics of around $400 billion spread over the next 25 years can deliver the technology required to eliminate electricity production as a contributor to climate change. This is a large sum of money - similar to the cost of the Iraq war – but it is dwarfed by the $23 trillion expected investment in oil exploration out to 2030 or the $24 trillion investment in PV systems required to generate half of the world's electricity by 2040.

Professor Blakers will also describe Sliver solar cell technology, which was invented at Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, Scotland, by Dr Klaus Weber and Professor Blakers in 2000 while attending a conference. Origin Energy, one of the sponsors of the Greenhouse 2000 Conference, is commercialising Sliver technology in Adelaide.
Work at ANU shows that Sliver solar cell technology can achieve electricity costs below retail electricity costs within five years, with the right investment. Explosive growth in sales in the commercial and residential sector will then follow.

Professor Blakers said that Sliver solar cell technology "can go all the way."

"It's not difficult to envisage Sliver based technology delivering electricity at a cost that matches wind energy, zero-emission coal and other clean energy technologies. No leap of faith is required; just careful engineering and adaptation of existing techniques from other industries," he said.

Dr Weber added that it is essential to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel based electricity generation in order to limit climate change. The cost of doing this with advanced solar technology will be far lower than the pessimistic forecasts advanced by some analysts.

"The key to a clean energy future is the setting of clear and challenging targets and the provision of reliable, long-term support to the solar industry. The industry will respond and deliver the required technology," Dr Weber said. Recent solar and fuel cell articles

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High oil prices make Asia pursue green energy September 9, 2005
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Mitchell Said:

How much solar paneling is required to produce electrical energy to move a 250 pound body in a 250 pound cart?

We Answered:

If you are willing to go slowly enough, all you need from the solar panel is enough to overcome static friction to get the cart started.

I do know that a cyclist cruising along at a moderate speed (say, 10 miles an hour) is expending about 1/10 horsepower. That's 80 watts. So on flat ground, a 100-watt panel push them over the 10 miles in an hour. Such a panel, if square, would be 2 to 2.5 feet on a side, if made with typical contemporary materials. If the terrain is more than gently rolling hills, more power would be needed.

Perhaps you could scale that answer to your situation.

Roberto Said:

How does the solar energy is stored in a battery?

We Answered:

The mechanism used to convert solar energy is called a photovoltaic cell.
Solar cells are built of a mostly silicon compound, which leaves some atoms with loose electrons. These electrons are knocked free by the energy of the sun and, if attached to a circuit, will charge the battery like any AC charger.
A car can be run very simply :) Just use an electric car, with batteries being charged by a solar panel on the roof or at a filling port (similar to a gas station).
The fastest solar car I know of is the Nuna 2 (105 mph)

Hope this helps :)

Geraldine Said:

How much solar paneling is required to produce electrical energy to move a 250 pound body in a 250 pound cart?

We Answered:

If you are willing to go slowly enough, all you need from the solar panel is enough to overcome static friction to get the cart started.

I do know that a cyclist cruising along at a moderate speed (say, 10 miles an hour) is expending about 1/10 horsepower. That's 80 watts. So on flat ground, a 100-watt panel push them over the 10 miles in an hour. Such a panel, if square, would be 2 to 2.5 feet on a side, if made with typical contemporary materials. If the terrain is more than gently rolling hills, more power would be needed.

I came accross a new, proven and tested home made wind power system and solar power system which eliminates our electricity bills. It was written by a Renewable energy enthusiasts Michael Harvey the diy called Earth4energy. You can get your copy to save energy and help environment while eliminating your power bills. Get it from here:

http://how-to-build-cheap-solar-energy.blogspot.com/

Geraldine Said:

What are the ways that Solar Energy is more environment-friendly and feasible than Nuclear Energy?

We Answered:

Its all about the "after life" of the energy source. With solar panels there is some carbon and other things that can (hopefully) be reclaimed and recycled. With nuclear power you get things like Yucca Mountain. However, unless we invest in breeder reactors and breeder nuclear fusion to enrich the uranium waste into plutonium. This is great because the waste that would other wise be carted off to Yucca Mountain gets recycled.

Plutonium caries a stigma due to the fact that it can be easily weaponized. More over breeder plants use liquid sodium. Liquid sodium is highly volatile when exposed to air or water. They can also be cooled using helium.

The down falls of solar are that the productivity will decrease with the age of the panels. disposal (nothing like radio-active storage). And power generation at night (overcome with the use of solar towers).

Solar power generation has very little environmental impact beyond mining the resources, manufacturing, and disposal.

Best of luck.