Renewable Energy Questions/Discussion > Solar (heating or electric)
Solar News
WooferHound:
Triple junction Solar Cells achieving 50% efficiency
http://spectrum.ieee.org/green-tech/solar/tapping-the-power-of-100-suns
bj:
Interesting read Woof, thanks.
fuse99:
That's damn impressive. How long do you think it would take an American state to fulfill that kind of criteria? I really wish renewable energy was more widely available for the general public. If it wasn't for these greedy energy companies I'm sure we'd be on the right track, faster. It's just a vicious cycle though, as energy bills continue to increase, it's going to be more difficult for households to buy the equipment to run their homes in a greener way. I've been spending the past couple months trying to be greener, growing my own vegetables and having a wormery, but I feel that solar panels would be the next step! I've been recommended this place for Links are disabled until your post count is higher. domestic solar panels, but just wanted to know if it might be more worth my while if I constructed my own? I've been doing a little bit of research and it's not actually as expensive as I'd thought, but which would be more effective?
Cheers!
MadScientist267:
Certainly is. The technology to do all this and make it a reality is all there, just gotta get it to happen! ;)
I think the transparent and "50%" triple layer cells are probably the most intriguing to me personally. I'm sure neither is cheap, but with that kind of output and being able to even use the real estate of windows to produce power, the possibilities may very well be endless.
I figure there are 2 main reasons that solar hasn't really taken off... First, cost. ROI is dismal at best currently, but is improving. Second, power density. People want to live their lives the way they always have; Spongebob on the tube, while the kids could care less and are outside chasing each other around the yard, among many other equally power wasting "uses". Not remotely possible with the current technology, but high density production means more juice from the same light. 50% is what, about 4 or 5x the capability of even the most efficient panels available to the average Joe? :o
I can't wait, personally.
Steve
ghurd:
--- Quote from: MadScientist267 on November 02, 2012, 03:04:20 pm ---50% is what, about 4 or 5x the capability of even the most efficient panels available to the average Joe? :o
--- End quote ---
About 3X.
What gets me is how "not quite good" some of the installations are done.
612KW of solar, placed flat and level, with almost 0 circulation?
Guessing they never heard of dust & bird doo-doo, heat, or snow in New Jersey.
A 300 pound guy up there with a bottle of windex and roll of paper towels walking on all those panels sound like a great idea to anyone? :o
This next one is a serious contender for my "WTF! Award of the Year".
Anyone notice Stanford's solar powered elephant watching solar thing?
Powers a camera, laptop, and beer fridge. Wow.
It is about 100 miles south of the Nambia / Angola line, about 15 degrees south of the equator.
The correct mounting angle there would be... oh crap that's too hard... lets just hang them vertical and keep hanging more until it works!
Guessing the Stanford School of Medicine people don't know about Stanford's Earth Sciences Dept, or Stanford's Engineering Dept.
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