PV Gap

Mario Said:

what are good ways to approach resturants to use solar panels?

We Answered:

unless you have financial means to act as a power company, its very hard to sell to restaurant. The profit margin is not there on the majority of the businesses. therefore, if you had capital you can install the system, and the charge the customer a fixed rate for the next 20 years, you get the credits, you own the system. I am talking of course about solar thermal. hot water and restaurants go hand in hand.

Patsy Said:

How much of the world's population uses solar panels?

We Answered:

According to this article http://www.engineerlive.com/Power-Engine… about 7.7 GW (billiion watts) of panels were produced in 2008, and 11.1 GW are expected in 2009. Let's estimate that there are 20 GW of panels out there today. If we assume that most of those are small-time installations on rooftops of, say, 3 kW, then that's about 6.67 million installations. There are about 6.5 billion people in the world, so that's on average a solar electric system for 1 in every 1000 people. There are wild assumptions in that estimate, but it gives an order of magnitude answer.

Solar hot water is probably much more pervasive.