Solar Power Made Affordable

[nancy1340]

Solar Power Made Affordable
By Shannara Johnson

In a speech this year, President Bush said we’d have to get rid of “our addiction to Middle East oil.” Now one man in South Africa seems to have taken a big step in that direction—at least when it comes to heating homes.

A team of scientists led by Professor Vivian Alberts of the University of Johannesburg announced a huge breakthrough in solar technology early this year: They developed solar panels that can provide heat and electricity for a whole house—at a fraction of the cost of conventional solar devices.

“In a perfect world,” explains an article in Science in Africa, an online science magazine, “a silicon-based photo voltaic cell can convert roughly 25% of the incipient solar energy it receives into electricity. . . the rest of the solar radiation is either too high or too low intensity to do anything. In reality, only 15% (under optimal conditions) of incipient solar energy is harnessed by the cell.”

With Professor Alberts’ invention, this output becomes much larger. Whereas a typical solar panel uses silicon slabs more than 350 microns thick because of its poor absorption properties, the new panels, which contain no silicon, operate with a 5-micron film—a quarter of the thickness of a human hair. They use normal window glass and are much more efficient than the old panels; so much so that they don’t even require direct sunlight to produce significant power. The panels based on this alloy will have a working life of about 20 years.

Through a special converter, energy can be fed directly into the wiring of the house. And with a price that will be less than a third of a normal solar panel, gaining power from sunlight will become a viable option for many more homeowners than it is now.

“With batteries, invertors and power management systems. . . the system will pay itself off in about 1 year,” states Science in Africa. “For a more energy-thirsty system, it would take about 2 to 3 years and after that, a household would be looking at 17 years of just about free energy.”

The South Africans plan to begin manufacturing the new, inexpensive panels in 2007. However, their German partner company, IFE Solar Systems, one of the world leaders in solar energy, has already started and will produce 500,000 panels before the end of this year.

[MHinFox]

nice info-thanks.

[bee_pipes]

Thanks for the post.

Yes, waiting for the price to break. The MEN for Oct/Nov 2006 had a piece on Stan Ovshinsky, an American leader in the field, and on a new solar panel - sounds much like the one described in the story - peel and stick PV sheets. No more big, heavy, fragile boxes with silicone slabs.

Man, when the price comes down on that, good-bye grid!

Now, if somebody only had a way around banks of storage batteries....

[edward_4576]

I did some surfing on this subject and most of the articles are the same. I did find one that described the manufacturing process. I went to the University of Johannesburg website but couldn't find anything about the new solar cells. If they do come down in price and offer a higher efficiency rating then what can be found currently I think I would seriously consider investing in a whole home system. Keep your fingers crossed.

[Northwoods_Hippie]

So are they saying that you don't have to have the big box of batteries anymore with this film?

That might be the thing that gets me to finally go solar.

Margie

[bee_pipes]

So are they saying that you don't have to have the big box of batteries anymore with this film?

That might be the thing that gets me to finally go solar.

Margie


Naw, you still need batteries. Nowadays it is usually wet cells. I'm not crazy about that, but it is more bang for the buck. Lithium seems to be the most efficient, but have no idea how much more expensive. Metal oxide is supposed to be the new up and coming technology.... We shall see.

I have read references to a flywheel with frictionless bearings, in a vacuum chamber. Supposed to store surplus electricity as kinetic energy with little loss. You bury it sealed. It sounds like extremely experimental. We might not live to see it produced at a realistic price, but with the accelerating advances of technology, who knows?

Till then, it's either batteries or do without at night and on cloudy days.

Regards,
Pat

[flatwater]

I'm sure they have a patent on thier new product and quess who will try and buy that patent for a tremendouse amount of money to keep the price up, give up? big oil companys. Look at the loss they will sustain if a cheaper power sourse arises.

[Bufordt]

I don't think it's big oil as much as it is the Government and local governments. Every time you pay your electrical bill you are taxed on the amount of electric you use. Local, State, and Federal. If everyone in the State went solar look at the amount of tax the Government would loose.

But then again. Someone would figure out how to tax the amount of sun you were getting to the panels.

Bufordt

[tulsachristy]

I have been doing some research on solar power systems for the retail consumer. I am very happy with my findings. There are numerous new home power systems becoming available and affordable to the consumer. I believe that this is an extiting time for the consumer in that many choices are becoming available. this new competitive market will inspire many new inovations and bring a much needed wind of change to the market. Personally I cant wait to see what is comming next. In the next few weeks Ill be producing a newsletter on my findings, anybody who wants this info can simply email me at tulsachristy1@cox.net

[ryanmercer]

There is already affordable solar... just rent your panels at a locked in rate with places like Citizenre (join the solution)

[docjered]

Just to put it into perspective for those of us who just dont know enough about solar panels, in real terms, what would it cost for a solar array, battery bank, invertor, etc. to generate even 100 amps of 120V (about a fourth of what we demand from the land line utility)? Does anybody know??

[12vman]

Just to put it into perspective for those of us who just dont know enough about solar panels, in real terms, what would it cost for a solar array, battery bank, invertor, etc. to generate even 100 amps of 120V (about a fourth of what we demand from the land line utility)? Does anybody know??

I would need more info on the load factors from that 100 amp service, But in basics..

With a 100 amp load, being derived from a 12 v.d.c. supply through an inverter, Would require around 1,000 amps. (10 to 1 ratio) At 24 v.d.c. around 500 amps. :o

The loads on your service is never at a constant 100 amps of usage. The load varies every time something is turned on/off. Much information would need to be collected to get a more accurate picture of the costs..

In a solar powered scenario, Loads are figured in amp hours. (How much current draw for how long) Then the system can be designed for the application. Location has an impact on the total costs also..

[Skyorbit]

Seems to me if the panals are more effecient and cheeper you wouldn't neccessarily need as many batteries though right because you wouldn't run them down as often?

Does anyone know exactly what the effeciency ratings of the new invention are in perfect and optimal conditions so we can compair apples to apples?

I mean, if the effeciency actually is 25% vs 15% then it's actually cheeper then 1/3 because you wouldn't need quite as many of them.

Tracy

Tracy

[Skyorbit]

Is their any updates on this? Any practical improvements that cut down on Solar Panel costs?

Tracy

[MooseToo]

seems like if this idea had merit, we'd have heard a lot more about it by now - - first posts on this topic were in '06

[tufhelp]

I'd love to really see one of these schemes come to fruition. It seems like every couple or five years another "solar will be cheap as dirt" story is making the rounds - haven't seen hide nor hair of the promised goods as of yet. Thin film cells, roofing shingles that double as solar panels, paint that you can roll on just about any surface and make it into a solar PV like collector... They apparently exist, but have not made it into production, or all the information was preliminary and in practice is not feasible to manufacture or whatever isn't letting it enter the main stream... Could be the economic impact of everyone generating their own power vs. the power robber barons. Imagine for a moment the entire "grid" going defunct practically over night... The only reason to have the grid would be to sell power back to the power companies.

[PaulNKS]

Solar systems don't have to be as costly as some would expect. Most of the solar planning has to do with what YOU do to get along with solar, not just making solar get along with you. For example, with alternative energy you do not use a conventional refrigerator and freezer, a/c, furnace, hair dryers, curling irons, etc, etc.... My system averaged out is costing me a little over $12.00 per month. To me, that is economical. But most people can't do that. It takes a different way of living and a different mindset to survive on solar. You MUST be coservative to start with. Otherwise, you can spend $20,000 for a solar system and still not be happy or do as I and other have and spend less than $2,000 and have plenty power.

So.. I wish the panels were cheaper, but I still consider it economical.

[MooseToo]

i guess you gotta play with the numbers - cost to buy and operate gas devices plus the cost of a minimal solar system versus the cost of a superior solar system using already owned devices -

[12vman]

Downsizing is a must to keep things affordable, IMO..

Ditch the plasma big screen.. Forget about air conditioning.. Frugal is the word.. (And "Humble" too..) ;)

Trying to expect to live a "Conventional" lifestyle will be a very expensive endeavor. Finding alternatives for normal creature comforts that requires much less energy is a must, unless you have deep pockets.. ;D

[Skyorbit]

I'd love to really see one of these schemes come to fruition. It seems like every couple or five years another "solar will be cheap as dirt" story is making the rounds - haven't seen hide nor hair of the promised goods as of yet. Thin film cells, roofing shingles that double as solar panels, paint that you can roll on just about any surface and make it into a solar PV like collector... They apparently exist, but have not made it into production, or all the information was preliminary and in practice is not feasible to manufacture or whatever isn't letting it enter the main stream... Could be the economic impact of everyone generating their own power vs. the power robber barons. Imagine for a moment the entire "grid" going defunct practically over night... The only reason to have the grid would be to sell power back to the power companies.

Same thing with LEDs about 3 years ago I saw a report on Digg that said w/in 3 years LEDs might be as cheep as an incandesent light bulb. Now recently, I saw a technology that allows them to cool them on silicon, making the material about as expensive to make a Compact Flouresents. But it'll be about 5 years before it's in production.

Unfortunately, we're going to be in the middle of massive hyperinflation by then I'm afraid, so I need to be looking for what's available now.

Tracy

[flatwater]

Nano solar is already making cheaper panels ( one dollar a watt) But they sold out to the big electric companys that bought all their stock and invested huge amounts in their buisness. They won't sell to the little guy. Check out nanosolar.com