And will just sit there not providing any power...
You forgot to include the fuel bill. And, just how bulky is this generator? And, does it stink up its location, from its exhaust? And, when it breaks down, as all machinery is wont to do, how much will it cost to fix it?
Delivering fuel to a solar cell is easy, there are no emissions, and no moving parts. Maintenance of solar cells is easy - Windex, at most.
A 7500kw generator, running a home @ 3600 rpm will last a year or so. Once it breaks, at $1000 each, you're better off just buying a new one. 5 gallons a day is enough to run a couple loads in the washer/dryer, filter the pool for 2-3 hours, and run all lights, computers and wide-screen tvs.
Total cost...$8.75 a day, $262 a month. This is a bit more than the cost for power in town but if you're in a rural or remote location, it works efficiently and reliably.
The cost for a reliable solar power set up to do the same would run the above for 15 years. In the long run, then, the really long, long run, a solar system is less expensive.
However, you'd need huge storage capability and a powerful inverter to give you anywhere near the surge capability a little generator can output.
Delivering fuel to a solar cell is easy, there are no emissions, and no moving parts. Maintenance of solar cells is easy - Windex, at most.
Right you are. Solar is a miracle. Making it more efficient with the tetrapod nanocrystals is a great leap forward. But ultimately, it's a matter of money. For solar to be viable it has to compete with fossil fuels and it's not there yet..
Yes, delilvering fuel to a solar cell is easy, as long as it's not cloudy. Also, from personal experience, you get an average 6-7 hours actual solar exposure per day over the course of a year.
One advantage of producing all your own energy, you tend to be extremely conservative with it.