Comments on: Solar Costs Down to $2 per Watt, IBM Claims http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/ Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:17:45 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Ryan Darkins http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/comment-page-1/#comment-4124 Ryan Darkins Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:23:39 +0000 http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/#comment-4124 If $2 per watt is correct, they've only just now matched what solar water heating technology has been at for 20 years. Solar water heating converts 65% of the energy that strikes the panel into useful energy. PV electric cells only convert at 15% efficiency, and are much more expensive. The final cost per MW is about $10000 for PV and about $2000($2 per watt) for solar water heating. The payback(without subsidies) for water heating is around 6-7 years if your electricity rate is 10 cents per KW/H. We have more information here at http://www.sunbelt-solar.com/cost.html a local solar installer in Austin, TX. If $2 per watt is correct, they’ve only just now matched what solar water heating technology has been at for 20 years.
Solar water heating converts 65% of the energy that strikes the panel into useful energy. PV electric cells only convert at 15% efficiency, and are much more expensive. The final cost per MW is about $10000 for PV and about $2000($2 per watt) for solar water heating. The payback(without subsidies) for water heating is around 6-7 years if your electricity rate is 10 cents per KW/H. We have more information here at http://www.sunbelt-solar.com/cost.html a local solar installer in Austin, TX.

]]> By: Altenergy http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/comment-page-1/#comment-3818 Altenergy Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:46:23 +0000 http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/#comment-3818 i thought most of products should be free of tax solar energy products i thought most of products should be free of tax solar energy products

]]> By: The Engineer http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/comment-page-1/#comment-2526 The Engineer Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:02:36 +0000 http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/#comment-2526 Interesting research, but this kind of thing is obviously impractical for large applications due to materials involved and the cooling issue. Interesting research, but this kind of thing is obviously impractical for large applications due to materials involved and the cooling issue.

]]> By: Rex http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/comment-page-1/#comment-633 Rex Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:59:01 +0000 http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/#comment-633 The amount of heat already created by non-concentrated solar panels is enormous. A panel rated at STC (25 deg C, 1000 W/msq. irradiance, 1.5 Air Mass) gets its max power point when the CELL temp is 25 deg C. There are few applications when a cell temperature is 25 deg C. It is more likely operating in ambient temp of 28 deg C with a cell temp of 45-50 deg C. These numbers just go up from there. You can fry an egg on the back of most between 9am and 3pm. So can they vent that heat or not? The amount of heat already created by non-concentrated solar panels is enormous. A panel rated at STC (25 deg C, 1000 W/msq. irradiance, 1.5 Air Mass) gets its max power point when the CELL temp is 25 deg C.

There are few applications when a cell temperature is 25 deg C. It is more likely operating in ambient temp of 28 deg C with a cell temp of 45-50 deg C. These numbers just go up from there. You can fry an egg on the back of most between 9am and 3pm.

So can they vent that heat or not?

]]> By: vulcan alex http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/comment-page-1/#comment-193 vulcan alex Tue, 27 May 2008 19:47:47 +0000 http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/#comment-193 Now costs are one thing, but self reliance is another. This does not look too good to me since the heat must be dealt with. Perhaps in association with the current collectors this would be a good combination. Now costs are one thing, but self reliance is another. This does not look too good to me since the heat must be dealt with. Perhaps in association with the current collectors this would be a good combination.

]]> By: Dennis Meizys http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/comment-page-1/#comment-166 Dennis Meizys Wed, 21 May 2008 16:51:08 +0000 http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/#comment-166 Right now I am definitely not a fan of solar energy. But, if your blog post is accurate, then we can install more sites without ridiculous State and Federal Tax Credits, which are a waste of money. By the way, I am linking to your site as an example of a good metric of solar economics, as opposed to the dubious press release I reference in this article: http://www.marylandgreenpower.com/greenpower/2008/05/21/22/ Right now I am definitely not a fan of solar energy. But, if your blog post is accurate, then we can install more sites without ridiculous State and Federal Tax Credits, which are a waste of money.

By the way, I am linking to your site as an example of a good metric of solar economics, as opposed to the dubious press release I reference in this article:

http://www.marylandgreenpower.com/greenpower/2008/05/21/22/

]]> By: Diane http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/comment-page-1/#comment-159 Diane Wed, 21 May 2008 10:42:59 +0000 http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/#comment-159 The cheaper the better, the sooner the better. We should be putting more into research for solar energies. The cheaper the better, the sooner the better.
We should be putting more into research for solar energies.

]]> By: Kobayashi http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/comment-page-1/#comment-146 Kobayashi Sun, 18 May 2008 19:57:33 +0000 http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/#comment-146 This is a big breakthrough for Solar Photovoltaics. Especially if they could apply it somehow to power Electric Cars. The heat could be used for Stirling engine power production (Stirling engines work on Temperature differentials). So this is very big! This is a big breakthrough for Solar Photovoltaics. Especially if they could apply it somehow to power Electric Cars. The heat could be used for Stirling engine power production (Stirling engines work on Temperature differentials). So this is very big!

]]> By: Uncle B http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/comment-page-1/#comment-145 Uncle B Sun, 18 May 2008 15:32:08 +0000 http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/#comment-145 Too bad science couldn't use the excess heat on the chip to make steam and then more power! Physics will have to give up a few more of its secrets before a concentrated beam of sunlight can be efficiently converted directly into electricity. I imagine a return to a vacuum tube type technology and something robust enough to handle the energy/temperatures involved with solar concentrators. In the mean time, concentrated beams of solar energy and steam technology have been used successfully to provide electricity for a whole town in Spain! Once the price of oil reflects its true availability, More US towns may be successfully solar powered. especially if we have improved photovoltaic cells. Too bad science couldn’t use the excess heat on the chip to make steam and then more power!
Physics will have to give up a few more of its secrets before a concentrated beam of sunlight can be efficiently converted directly into electricity. I imagine a return to a vacuum tube type technology and something robust enough to handle the energy/temperatures involved with solar concentrators.
In the mean time, concentrated beams of solar energy and steam technology have been used successfully to provide electricity for a whole town in Spain! Once the price of oil reflects its true availability, More US towns may be successfully solar powered. especially if we have improved photovoltaic cells.

]]> By: larry http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/comment-page-1/#comment-139 larry Sat, 17 May 2008 17:04:19 +0000 http://www.greenpacks.org/2008/05/16/solar-costs-down-to-2-per-watt-ibm-claims/#comment-139 what about the boys that have it at $.30 per watt? by the time ibm puts it on the market it will be o expensive that we will be burning wood anyhow. what about the boys that have it at $.30 per watt? by the time ibm puts it on the market it will be o expensive that we will be burning wood anyhow.

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