Rustybarge
Guru
https://electrek.co/2016/09/26/sola...y-the-cost-of-solar-will-ever-increase-again/
Any sign in the retail solar panel prices yet?
Any sign in the retail solar panel prices yet?
I have to laugh when an article says "price of this item will never increase again". Glad to hear the price is dropping, but improved efficiency has no control over raw material costs, labor, and demand.
Ted
You don't see that 25% reduction in online panel sales prices. They still are $.90-1.00 per watt for individual panels and maybe 10% less for pallet sales.
That article seemed to talk more about power production costs from large solar arrays, not individual panel prices. Power costs are strongly influenced by construction costs, government subsidies and interest rates as well as the cost of the panels.
David
." A bit like $100 barrel oil would never ever ever drop below that price. Lol."
I'm still wondering , what ever happened to PEAK OIL ?
I love the way technology can short circuit the old dirty industries ; one minute they are gold mines, the next mintue there's a big question mark over them.
Solar alone cannot eliminate fossil fuel power generation for a variety of reasons.
The simple fact is that until they figure out a way to store large amounts of energy during the times when the sun is not available, you will still need generator units that you can start up and run when you need them.
Wind is even worse. A big secret that the wind energy advocates don't want to talk about is the unreliability of wind to produce power constantly, even when wind is predicted to be "good" that day.
This requires power companies to keep extra units online, in reserve in case the wind dies down quickly. We call this "spin" or "spinning reserve". In plain terms this is generation capacity that is online and running but is not being used. The problem with "spin" is that turbine generators are very inefficient if not running at their rated capacity.
." A bit like $100 barrel oil would never ever ever drop below that price. Lol."
I'm still wondering , what ever happened to PEAK OIL ?
But tidal flow is pretty constant. And river current is pretty constant. Why hasn't there been more development in these areas?
But tidal flow is pretty constant. And river current is pretty constant. Why hasn't there been more development in these areas?
But tidal flow is pretty constant. And river current is pretty constant. Why hasn't there been more development in these areas?
Why Apache’s Latest Oil Find Is Such A Game Changer | OilPrice.com
Another big oil find, 3 billion barrels in an unlikely place.
Oil is not a fossil fuel, google abiotic oil. If the earth continually makes oil, then oil will always be in plentiful supply.
Pumped water energy storage, where you pump water uphill to a reservoir using excess power and then use that water's head to generate power when you need it, isn't very common, but it is done in some places.
David
But tidal flow is pretty constant. And river current is pretty constant. Why hasn't there been more development in these areas?
... A bit like $100 barrel oil would never ever ever drop below that price. Lol.
"Because the power corporations don't want to promote something that doesn't help their bottom line."
SELLING power is the business , where the power comes from doesn't matter .
Every sale "helps the bottom line".
I well remember when FF was saying a few years ago that oil could well drop from +$100 to below $50. He was literally laughed off TF.
So what are the price drivers for panels? Labor, materials, capital recovery and necessary % profit. Other than inflation, my guess is panels will emulate the battery pricing regime of the last century - dirt cheap.
My son in law had a solar install company. He gave me a 270watt panel. I have to research how this can be used on the boat. One panel for 270 watts!
Solar alone cannot eliminate fossil fuel power generation for a variety of reasons.
The simple fact is that until they figure out a way to store large amounts of energy during the times when the sun is not available, you will still need generator units that you can start up and run when you need them.
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