Climate Policy

[eppie]

Let me ignore most of your post as unsubstantiated argumentation. For example, how would you collect the solar energy that lands on the Pacific ocean? Placing PV cells in the Sahara sounds good, until you try to figure out how to keep them clean, and get the power to the where it is needed. As far as payback... The operative words are "can be", they also are frequently not. In my case the net savings over grid power is negative for the entire life of the panels. Show me a source for "germanium in amorphous silicon-germanium thin film solar cells", and let's compare the costs. Let me just conclude that I won't continue to engage in a battle of wits unless you prove you are armed.

Kandrathe, on one hand you regard nuclear fusion as an alternative while you see all the problems when talking about solar energy.

1. Photovoltaic cells are a proven technology, and apart from the most expensive one (crystallin silicon) that you always mention there are many more kinds, while nuclear fusion is a technique that might turn out to be impossible to use practically for energy generation (and I am among the most positive persons when thinking about what scientific progress we will make in the future).

2. the aformentioned other kinds of photovoltaic cells have one thing in common; they are much cheaper than crystallin silicon cells. There is a huge body of research going on to organic, dye sensitzied, quantum dot etc. solar cells, and if we would compare this with eg the first cell phones where the initial sales by tech-freaks fund the further research in making better ones (like we have today) exponentially, early adoption of these might really boost this field even farther.
Most other solar cells don't have the high yield (50 % of the yield of a silicon one would be great), but are factors cheaper. There are plants making several types of them now, and within a few years this will really catch on.

3. We don't have to generate 100% of our energy using solar. But even in a country like holland, solar cells on roofs of houses, maybe combined with a solar boiler, will dramataically decrease the amount of power you would need to get from your local powerplant. (remember that solar cells that are on your roof will ensure much less loss of current because of transport....something that (I think) is usually not considered when talking about power efficiency from conventional power plants.

4 the needed area; photovoltaics will likely be most used on the place were the power is needed. So on roof and in windows (transparent cells that use UV and/or IR for the energy conversion). There are many place where we can use solar panels.




I am always amazed by the solar challenge in australia where teams have to drive around 5000km with a solar powered car. Of course it is in australia, and of course they use the best silicon cells for this, but these guys drive an average of almost 100km/h just by using solar cells.!!