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Strategies & Market Trends : 2026 TeoTwawKi ... 2032 Darkest Interregnum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Haim R. Branisteanu who wrote (39297)	8/27/2008 11:31:53 AM
From: Joe S Pack	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 218043

Haim, A large correction to your energy equation assumption. The figure you quoted is at the outer atmosphere and the actual average radiation on earth surface taking into account the angle at which the rays strike and that at any one moment half the planet does not receive any solar radiation, is one-fourth the solar constant (approximately 342 W/m²). en.wikipedia.org what type of solar you envision? the sun is radiating around 1.3+KW per square meter. Around the equator you can get easy an average of close to 1 KW per square meter. The current commercial systems such as that of First Solar's can reach 10% conversion efficiency. But the race is on to reach 1KW per dollar cost grid parity by 2010 - 2012, so as to be able to compete with conventional approaches. Today most commercial systems do not even convert at 10% efficiency - so you need a surrogate source of energy and the best is wind and sea who also store solar energy. Put a rizhome or seed into the ground and you have close to 5% efficiency Silicon is not the ideal material for PV cells and solar concentrators are expensive Any new ideas up your sleeve? -J6P

To: Haim R. Branisteanu who wrote (39297)	8/27/2008 11:55:58 AM
From: elmatador	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 218043

Change "surrogate source of energy" a conventional, non-solar, source of energy to back up during cloudy days and during the night. Or perhaps you mean solar provides just a partial solution and will be used as an adjunct. Man I hate twisting simple concepts into arcane talking.

To: Haim R. Branisteanu who wrote (39297)	8/27/2008 2:32:30 PM
From: TobagoJack	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 218043

hi haim, your information on solar is not the most up to date - commercial solar @ current tech is already at grid parity in the most expensive locales (hawaii, where 75% electricity is generated from oil)), and would be profitable to manufacturers and installers - the best commercial poly-si based solar pv cell is at 13-18% efficiency - the best poly-si lab cell is at 40+% eff (lense focused solar pv) - the mostest inverter is at 50% eff - the best inverter is at 95% eff - dc appliances are also happening, at least in china for rural application - thin film (6-10% eff cell and rising) application for building integrated use has started and will soon ramp (less onerous cost given dual use of system (windows/roofs & power generation) - poly-si solar pv cost of production coming down at 5-8% per annum - solar grade (as opposed to semi-con grade) poly-si purification will crater in price within 36 months (ramped from $25/kg to 200+/kg spot over past 36 months due to demand - etc etc etc - given all of above, more footage on earth will come within band of grid parity over 36 months (more than the market can now serve) - the issue, globally, is less the tech path then the financing way - who will finance the one big lump of upfront needed to secure on-going and free solar pv (as opposed to csp, solar thermal solutions) benefit - in the mean time, off-grid solar is silently booming - we are still early days, but sure days for sure, starting now