Sensible Topic Solar panels.

[Joe Emerald]

With all the talk of fracking and wind turbines, it is going to be solar power that wins out in the end. It's all about grid parity, ie the point at which solar power costs the same as standard fossil fuel energy from the grid. There are two types of grid parity: grid parity inclusive of subsidy, and outright bona fide grid parity.

Eventually, although for the UK it might be a decade in the future, we will see bona fide grid parity here.

I suppose you could add a third type of grid parity. Grid parity factoring in the need for storage of solar energy once generated. When that third type of grid parity is hammered down, solar will become the world's principal source of energy. Apart from anything else, it will change the face of geopolitics. The big losers will be countries like Saudi Arabia and Russia.

 

[Him Her]

Oops, seems I was wrong, bot-speak rules ko

 

[Mick]

We are far behind allot of EU countries though, on the idea itself I agree we need to be more Eco in our Generation.

Looking at this chart we are someway behind...

 

[Joe Emerald]

Hey now what now?

I am not a robot, Him Her, if that's what you were implying. And that's how I speak, I'm afraid. To my friends, eloquent, and otherwise verbose!!

I'm quite passionate about solar energy. I have a bit of a fetish about googling grid parity and the latest technological advances to read the latest reports on how each country is advancing towards it. Places like south-western USA and Spain are pretty much there.

Eventually, all new windows will be invisible collectors of solar energy. Anyway, I typed that all without needing to oil my mainframe once! GOTO CLICK REPLY

 

[Him Her]

We are far behind allot of EU countries though, on the idea itself I agree we need to be more Eco in our Generation.

Looking at this chart we are someway behind...

View attachment 75033

One of the reasons for this is the relatively high cost of installation in the UK vs insolation (the measure of usable sunlight). Costs were probably not helped by the EU trade tariifs recently imposed on China but Western production will no doubt catch up in due course. The cooling effect of wind in the UK means solar pv can be run more efficiently too. Unfortunately, it is harder to make other use of the wind as a renewable on an individual basis (particularly in urban areas) due to the wind-shear effect of buildings i.e. for efficient generation consistency of wind is more important than speed. Thus the most effective renewable for individual households remains solar pv but the costs are limiting uptake.

As this micro-generation becomes more pervasive (more domestic installations feeding into the grid) plus the development of efficient lighting using technologies such as LED there could be a case for having two distinct wiring installations in homes. It's rather inefficient to reduce mains voltage to low voltage to run LED lighting if efficient storage at low voltage could be achieved. Mains power would be retained for higher power appliances such as kettles - you wouldn't believe how thick a cable would need to be to power a 3kW kettle at 12 volts!
@Joe Emerald - your eloquence caught me out, I apologise

 

[Mick]

Good post @Him Her

yes I am aware of the impact of sunlight I wanted to take it slightly off topic lol and talk about windfarms lmao (as we probably have more reason to build than most, and we are seriously lagging behind there too!!!)... but as we are talking about solar that would be unfair.

But I also think this is something that the country must do more about, and while my word choices and gramma are no match for most of you lol, it is a topic that I also believe should be taken seriously!

Mick

 

[oneman]

Good post @Him Her

yes I am aware of the impact of sunlight I wanted to take it slightly off topic lol and talk about windfarms lmao (as we probably have more reason to build than most, and we are seriously lagging behind there too!!!)... but as we are talking about solar that would be unfair.

But I also think this is something that the country must do more about, and while my word choices and gramma are no match for most of you lol, it is a topic that I also believe should be taken seriously!

Mick

Not sure we are lagging behind, we recently became number 6 in the list globally, have the highest increase rate and with planned offshore farms could end up as high as 3 on the list behind China and the USA.

 

[Mick]

Not sure we are lagging behind, we recently became number 6 in the list globally, have the highest increase rate and with planned offshore farms could end up as high as 3 on the list behind China and the USA.

Thanks @oneman I have not checked for a while, I knew we was behind! Again not wanting to take this away from the solar topic... even though they (sun and wind) are close buddies

Mick

 

[oneman]

Thanks @oneman I have not checked for a while, I knew we was behind! Again not wanting to take this away from the solar topic... even though they (sun and wind) are close buddies

Mick

I think were we do lag is micro generation of solar and wind power (household / factory level). Don't know if this is a good or bad thing, its better to build on a bigger scale but then you are losing generation opportunities and need a higher capacity distribution system.