New World Record Achieved in Solar Cell Technology

www.energy.gov/ ^ | 12/05/2006 | DOE

[MarineBrat]

Thanks for the pep-talk. :)

My sense of dread is due to the massive outlay of funds to get the ball rolling. We're installing a 7kw system, which should cover about 3/4 of our usage. Here in California's San Joaquin Valley we have unbearably hot summers, where the temp doesn't drop below the century mark for weeks at a time. Even at night it's lucky to get to the low 70's. Most of our electricity costs are related to summertime air conditioning.

Of course, I'm also doing the other little things that can be done to make the house more efficient. But when it's 115 degrees outside, and the pool is 94 degrees and feels like jumping into a bucket of fresh urine, there's not much else to do when you need to cool off but turn on the A/C. :) For the record, I never turn my A/C to a temperature lower than 83 degrees.

The real problem here is that the cost of electricity skyrockets after you use a certain amount. We're on a tiered system. Tier #1 costs about 15 cents per KwH, and you stay on tier #1 as long as you don't use over a pre-determined amount of electricity. In the summtertime we're using so much electricity that we're jumping all the way into tier #4, where we're paying over 50 cents per KwH.

The solar system will keep us in tier one, where the prices are rarely raised. When they raise prices around here it's always the higher tiers that get raised.

[Realism]

Ouch... 115 degrees combined with the humidity we have here would literally be hell on earth. Make sure you do whatever you can to keep those panels cool. The cooler they are the higher the efficiency.

[MarineBrat]

Ouch... 115 degrees combined with the humidity we have here would literally be hell on earth.

The saving grace about the summer weather here is that the humidity is very low, so even though the pool doesn't feel very refreshing, when you get out of the pool it feels cool as you dry off.

During certain times of year I have somewhere between about 8 and 16 hours of yard work that needs done per week, and I spend most of that time in shorts and water-sandals. That way I can jump into the pool and get a quick cool-off.

[Realism]

We don't really have that problem here. I have a steel in-ground that has never been over 85 degrees, and we leave the solar cover on all summer.

[SunkenCiv]

Solar Cell Surpasses 40 Percent Efficiency~ (NREL) verified the milestone.
Boeing | Dec. 06, 2006 | Boeing Press Release
Posted on 12/06/2006 5:28:44 PM EST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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