Wow new kind of solar energy

[BCPVP]

I've been doing some reading at this site ( PESwiki ) which has a lot of information on new energy technology. I've found that I've had to be skeptical of most stuff there since it is a wiki-type page and that often the information is from the companies themselves who can sometimes make big claims. Interesting stuff there nonetheless. For instance, here's the page on solar energy.

[esad]

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I recently read about a new photovoltaic technology that drops the cost per Watt drastically, meaning that houses could be being built with solar roofs within the next 5 years. This would revolutionize the electric power generation and distribution industries, and could completely decentralize them. I expect power companies to lobby to slap massive taxes and regulations on the technology, as it could nearly wipe out the multi-billion dollar (and government created and maintained) electric energy cartel in the US.

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One thing I've always thought power companies should do, is subsidize solar panels in people's houses. Pay for a percentage of the cost and have it hooked into their grid so that any excess energy then can be distributed by them and they can make money off it. They could then provide enegry at low solar times if necessary and still turn a nice profit. I think there was even some company that thought of this idea and was using it. Can't remember when though.

This would seem like such a logical way to both promote solar and profit, but most government created monopolies are pretty stupid when it comes to new ideas. (And yes I know the phrase "government creted monopolies" is being redundant.)

[Popinjay]

Did it really take this long to think of this? Did no scientists ever burn ants with a magnifying glass?

Wonderful news though!

[Jamougha]

Not really new.

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One thing I've always thought power companies should do, is subsidize solar panels in people's houses. Pay for a percentage of the cost and have it hooked into their grid so that any excess energy then can be distributed by them and they can make money off it. They could then provide enegry at low solar times if necessary and still turn a nice profit.

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The solar panels are extremely expensive. You would wait forever to break even.

[rothko]

news flash: the sun is not a renewable energy source.

[Stumpy]

Stirling Solar Energy


This is an older project that also looks really promising to me. My big complaint about green energy movements is everyone has their own little pet project / idea that they want to work on, and while many are pretty viable, none will succeed this way. If the goal was really to make a huge difference quickly, the best thing to do would be to pick a few obvious winners and focus a lot of time, energy and money on them. None of these ideas will ever be cost effective if everyone is fighting for a tiny piece of the market. I think it took about 4 years to get a 1 MW plant tested and approved, and in 5 years they'll have a 500MW field set up. They claim they could get to 850MW with two additional years. Obviously the tough climb is getting started. I don't care if someone comes up with an idea that's 2% more efficient. Don't waste 5 years studying that design, lets build a GW of these guys instead.

[daveT]

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news flash: the sun is not a renewable energy source.

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okay?

I understand this idea, since if you are in Alaska, the sun may not come up for about six months. Would it be inconceivable to make things battery packed, so that at night, the people that live in normal daylight hour zones can use this at night. I am pretty sure that is how solar power works anyways if you have one at home.

It would help us to be educated further on this matter, since people are under the impression that the sun is not going to die for a few billion years, and that it is more renewable and less likely to run out than fossil fuel.