• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Solar Costs Are Hitting Jaw-Dropping Lows in Every Region of the World

It sounds like Roomba needs a new bot, a solar panel bot, that cleans the panels every night!

Yet another job being lost due to automation. It's becoming quite a trend.

Maybe the ex coal miners could be put to work taking care of other coal miners suffering from black lung.
 
Energy / Politics
[h=1]President Trump: “We have near limitless supplies of energy”[/h]Guest essay by Eric Worrall President Trump has promised Americans a new era of jobs, energy independence and American Energy Dominance – unlocking, exploiting and exporting American fossil fuel energy around the world. … We’re here today to usher in a new American energy policy — one that unlocks million and millions of jobs and…
 
That's the kicker.

Solar will get cheaper, but remain expensive to use until we make some type of physical or chemical energy storage, for the inconsistent power creation vs. power demand.

I don't think it is the only kicker, but it is certainly a huge one. Another will be the debate of where the point of production is. Transmission loss on large scale solar is significant over long distances, but the government and Wall Street largely have a vest interest in keeping big utilities big. We don't really need a bunch of government mandates to bridge the gap. We need market-based approaches where there is room for trial and error/experimentation, etc.
 
[h=2]India, China: Clean dust, pollution off solar panels every two months, and still lose up to 35% of production?[/h]
How often do you clean your solar panels? Spare a thought for the poor sods in the Middle East, India and China, where migratory dust coats solar panels and hangs around in the air, blocking incoming sunlight. Researchers in India who cleaned their panels every few weeks and discovered that they got a 50% jump in efficiency each time. If the cleanings happened every two months, the total losses were 25 to 35 percent.
The article very much blames human pollution for half the capacity loss, but in the detail, the press release admits that 92% of the dust on each panel was natural. Apparently human made particles are smaller and stickier which makes the 8% human-emitted-dust equivalent to the 92% of other dust.
Either way, real pollution and natural dust will slow the clean-green-energy future in India and China until we get auto-cleaning panels or roof slaves. Unfortunately, cleaning panels also risks damaging them, so the price of solar power really needs to include the cost of windscreen-wipers/slaves, electricity losses, damage to panels, and damage to the panel cleaners too.
But solar panels will definitely power all the other parts of the world that are near enough to the equator and not in the path of flying dust, pollution, or under too many clouds, and especially those with electricity demand that peaks at 12 noon daily, which no modern country does.
– Jo
Keep reading →

Guess what? Coal mining equipment like trucks and such break down from heavy usage.

Hilarious to see your faux concern about dust on panels.
 
actually sounds like a solid business not to many people want to climb on their roof to clean their solar panels.

I have a hose and a nozzle, would take me all of about 45 seconds to do on my house...
 
I have a hose and a nozzle, would take me all of about 45 seconds to do on my house...

that is you many other people won't want to mess with it.
just like people pay to have their gutters cleaned.
 
I have a hose and a nozzle, would take me all of about 45 seconds to do on my house...

Or you could wait until it is raining and toss some balloons full of windex up there
 
that is you many other people won't want to mess with it.
just like people pay to have their gutters cleaned.


But, I'm the most important person in my life, too bad about others.
 
[h=2]India, China: Clean dust, pollution off solar panels every two months, and still lose up to 35% of production?[/h]
How often do you clean your solar panels? Spare a thought for the poor sods in the Middle East, India and China, where migratory dust coats solar panels and hangs around in the air, blocking incoming sunlight. Researchers in India who cleaned their panels every few weeks and discovered that they got a 50% jump in efficiency each time. If the cleanings happened every two months, the total losses were 25 to 35 percent.
The article very much blames human pollution for half the capacity loss, but in the detail, the press release admits that 92% of the dust on each panel was natural. Apparently human made particles are smaller and stickier which makes the 8% human-emitted-dust equivalent to the 92% of other dust.
Either way, real pollution and natural dust will slow the clean-green-energy future in India and China until we get auto-cleaning panels or roof slaves. Unfortunately, cleaning panels also risks damaging them, so the price of solar power really needs to include the cost of windscreen-wipers/slaves, electricity losses, damage to panels, and damage to the panel cleaners too.
But solar panels will definitely power all the other parts of the world that are near enough to the equator and not in the path of flying dust, pollution, or under too many clouds, and especially those with electricity demand that peaks at 12 noon daily, which no modern country does.
– Jo
Keep reading →

Greetings, Jack. :2wave:

After reading the link in your post, I'm very thankful that solar cannot be used in my area of Ohio - not enough sunlight on a regular basis to justify the cost, according to the company I called for a quote.

Now I'm reading that solar panels, especially on a roof, need to be washed every few weeks because the natural dust and small particles of dirt that will land on them due to wind currents will block the amount of sunlight that can be used to generate electricity. Since I am not likely to be on my roof doing that panel washing, I'd have to hire someone to do that work. Then I remember that we do get hail with some of our rainstorms, too, so that's another worry to contend with! :2mad:

It's beginning to sound very expensive to have solar, not only for the initial cost of installation but maintenance to keep the panels clean on a "forever-after" basis. Sheesh! Whose bright idea was this, and how did they ever sell it to the public? :thumbdown:
 
That is why it is relatively smart to wait on investments in all but the really good locations. And as we see in Germany to invest in the plant whose price is stable and you will need for some time to come.

Actually, the time to invest is now. The Federal Tax Credit expires in 2019. Get it while you can. I did it, and now I enjoy FREE electricity!!!
 
Actually, the time to invest is now. The Federal Tax Credit expires in 2019. Get it while you can. I did it, and now I enjoy FREE electricity!!!

You're welcome.
 
Greetings, Jack. :2wave:

After reading the link in your post, I'm very thankful that solar cannot be used in my area of Ohio - not enough sunlight on a regular basis to justify the cost, according to the company I called for a quote.

Now I'm reading that solar panels, especially on a roof, need to be washed every few weeks because the natural dust and small particles of dirt that will land on them due to wind currents will block the amount of sunlight that can be used to generate electricity. Since I am not likely to be on my roof doing that panel washing, I'd have to hire someone to do that work. Then I remember that we do get hail with some of our rainstorms, too, so that's another worry to contend with! :2mad:

It's beginning to sound very expensive to have solar, not only for the initial cost of installation but maintenance to keep the panels clean on a "forever-after" basis. Sheesh! Whose bright idea was this, and how did they ever sell it to the public? :thumbdown:

Greetings, Polgara.:2wave:

Solar works well in some places. Ohio isn't one of them. I don't plan to spend time on my roof either.:mrgreen:
 
In my opinion, we all need to get a stationary bike hooked up to an electromagnet and peddle for our electricity. Stop peddling and the tv turns off.

Or take a serious crack at geothermal. Which oddly enough will involve deep fracking. Take and drill two bore holes way down deep a little apart from each other. Do a little fracking, and cracks will form between the two bore holes. Pump water in one end, and steam will rise from the other.

The only barrier we have to doing this, is we can't drill deep enough at the moment to make it viable in most areas. But, whats to stop us from digging a big deep pit like they got over in Russia or even Salt Lake and then drilling from the bottom of it to the depth we can drill to? Coal miners can dig the pits, and oil workers can frack the wells. And boom, two careers saved and renewable energy to boot.
 
Last edited:
Greetings, Jack. :2wave:

After reading the link in your post, I'm very thankful that solar cannot be used in my area of Ohio - not enough sunlight on a regular basis to justify the cost, according to the company I called for a quote.

Now I'm reading that solar panels, especially on a roof, need to be washed every few weeks because the natural dust and small particles of dirt that will land on them due to wind currents will block the amount of sunlight that can be used to generate electricity. Since I am not likely to be on my roof doing that panel washing, I'd have to hire someone to do that work. Then I remember that we do get hail with some of our rainstorms, too, so that's another worry to contend with! :2mad:

It's beginning to sound very expensive to have solar, not only for the initial cost of installation but maintenance to keep the panels clean on a "forever-after" basis. Sheesh! Whose bright idea was this, and how did they ever sell it to the public? :thumbdown:

The company that installed my panels and others I got quotes from all said that the minimal amount of rain we get here is more than enough for cleaning the panels.
 
The company that installed my panels and others I got quotes from all said that the minimal amount of rain we get here is more than enough for cleaning the panels.

Well yes, the people selling the panels would say that.
 
Actually, the time to invest is now. The Federal Tax Credit expires in 2019. Get it while you can. I did it, and now I enjoy FREE electricity!!!

Subsidy driven investment often costs the economy and sets it back leaving only the recipient a winner albeit in a weakened society.
 
Energy / Politics
[h=1]President Trump: “We have near limitless supplies of energy”[/h]Guest essay by Eric Worrall President Trump has promised Americans a new era of jobs, energy independence and American Energy Dominance – unlocking, exploiting and exporting American fossil fuel energy around the world. … We’re here today to usher in a new American energy policy — one that unlocks million and millions of jobs and…

Is that before or after he defeats ISIS, brings peace to the Mid East, Makes America great again, and institutes a health care for all that is cheaper and better than Obamacare?
 
Is that before or after he defeats ISIS, brings peace to the Mid East, Makes America great again, and institutes a health care for all that is cheaper and better than Obamacare?

Many of his claims are without foundation. This one is not. Knowing the difference is part of being an adult.
 
Well yes, the people selling the panels would say that.

That dust buildup in the dry climates will reduce the panel outputs. Maybe just not enough t be noticed by most people.
 
Subsidy driven investment often costs the economy and sets it back leaving only the recipient a winner albeit in a weakened society.

Yep.

It's not right to pay people who can already foot the bill.
 
Back
Top Bottom