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To: noiseman
No matter what the efficiency, PVs need an energy input in the form of sunlight. There's this natural phenomenon called “night”, and the input drops to zero during that time. Factor in less-than-optimum daytime conditions (clouds, sun angle, etc.), you're probably talking about even lower capacity factors. Sure, when they're working and producing output, your fuel cost is essentially zero, but if you don't have the energy when you need it, you're probably not going to be too happy, low fuel cost or no.
14 posted on 10/14/2010 8:43:32 PM PDT by chimera
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To: chimera
I totally agree, that is why we need to develop a commercial space industry in order to develop cheap solar power in space where can effectively develop this and other solar smelting technologies to there fullest potential, the only problem is that we do not currently have a low cost to orbit, this will either require nuclear technology which the public is currently not going to support or an effective governmental program to create a “space interstate” system along the lines of what was developed after WWII, also not currently publicly supported. We can, in time, transfer much of our production to an environmentally safe and economically sound manufacturing process, but it will take changing public perceptions and biases, good luck with either.

Forgive the format of my post and any spelling or grammatical errors, first post I have done via my cell phone

15 posted on 10/14/2010 9:27:32 PM PDT by tricky_k_1972 (Putting on Tinfoil hat and heading for the bomb shelter.)
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