New solar panel technology

[California98Civic]

I think some of you may find this interesting.

[Arragonis]

There are quite a few companies going for the "printed solar panel" market. It is interesting here in the UK as a lot of older buildings don't have flat areas to mount conventional panels, so something like a wraparound might be quite attractive.

Plus of course if it makes Solar cheaper then I won't have to nominate the feed in tarrifs associated with solar power, which my taxes pay for in the UK, into the big wastes thread...

EDIT - of course if it doesn't work or you get faulty one it will be put into landfill as it can't be repaired. Wonderful thing Solar energy...

[drv2die]

sounds good hope it turns out better than these guys

Solar Company Solyndra Follows Evergreen and SpectraWatt into Bankruptcy Court - Yahoo! News

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by drv2die

sounds good hope it turns out better than these guys

Solar Company Solyndra Follows Evergreen and SpectraWatt into Bankruptcy Court - Yahoo! News

Yeah, it stinks that some of these companies are failing. And thanks for sharing it. But I gotta say, isn't this article weak? Here's my list of major problems in the argument:

1 - "the blind obeisance of the energy department to green ideology appears desperate and political." No evidence of that whatsoever. Perhaps it's true. He should show us.

2 - "But why can't the solar industry stand up on its own without taking money from strapped taxpayers?" This is a rhetorical question. And its conclusion is wrong. Two or three start-up companies are not "the solar industry."

3 - And here's the money-shot: "What is that "regulatory and policy uncertainties" Mr. Harrison is talking about? Isn't that what Republican business economists are saying is responsible for their inability to invest and create jobs?"

Worst... the author's own conclusion is to let the private sector outsource the jobs for the sake of profitability.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

"But why can't the solar industry stand up on its own without taking money from strapped taxpayers?"

Of course we could be asking the same question of the oil industry :-)

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Of course we could be asking the same question of the oil industry :-)

Good point. And let's add agriculture, corn in particular. How about space exploration? Should the failure of Netscape in the end raise serious doubts about the wisdom of federal research funding for this "internet" thing?

[solarguy]

Really. I hope it works out. But the track record is not very good.

How many millions has the taxpayer spent on fed funded research into the hydrogen economy?

The result? A big hole in our pocket.

How about the fed/california initiative to get zero emission/electric cars into the mainstream?

Go read about "Who Killed the Electric Car":

Who Killed the Electric Car? - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Anybody remember the feds encouraging development of solar power back in the 70's and early 80's? How did that turn out? Oh yeah, it practically killed the industry by the time it was over.

What about all the many many many millions of dollars the taxpayer spent on fusion research?

Oh yeah, a big fat goose egg. That's what we got out of that.

What about president Obama's proposal that we totally modernize our electric distribution system with all that stimulus money to take better advantage of wind and solar?

The money is gone, but the grid is not smart yet.

I figure if the idea is that good, the private money will bring it to market successfully.



Maybe this one will be different.

I hope so.

troy

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

How about space exploration? Should the failure of Netscape in the end raise serious doubts about the wisdom of federal research funding for this "internet" thing?

I think there's a difference between funding basic research (the results of which are open to anyone who wants to use them), subsidies for startup businesses like this one, and ongoing subsidies for established businesses, especially when they're making substantial profits.

[Arragonis]

Not sure about solar as here in Scotland we only know of the sun from reading about it in books and hearing the strange tales of travellers from far off lands - such as England.

But the green energy "incentives" here are going to cost us £300 a year, when we have had increases in the 10-20% range annually now for about 2-3 years. My own energy supplier has just anounced another 15% increase partly to pay for this stuff.

Wind farms seem to hoover up government cash for little return (less than 1% of demand here last year).

And now we have Thorium - which I don't understand, yet.

I like the idea of wraparound solar and if the printed process makes it cheaper than all to the good. I wait on the fence for a convincing case though.

EDIT - Our own Prime Minister's father in law makes £1000 a day from wind farm subsidies. Madness, sheer madness.

[NeilBlanchard]

Wave machines are good for Scotland -- there are some already; wind turbines, too. ;-)