>The cost of solar panels is plummeting, and this will flood the power grid with cheap electricity. But that’s just Act 1. We won’t stop building solar at the limits of the grid – we’ll build a lot more.
therealjerrystaute on
Yes. Eventually more and more households will be energy self-sufficient (or better). And not just from solar. There’s other sorts of alternative energy generation tech coming, too, which will surprise many folks not keeping abreast of the developments.
With the way Russia keeps destroying centralized energy production sources in Ukraine, if the war lasts another year or two, we may see Ukraine adopting the new smaller scale energy production sources faster than anyone else. That could make Ukraine an ideal test bed for this sort of R&D on the behalf of western tech companies wanting to profit from the coming new paradigm.
TheStol on
unless we develop good and relatively cheap energy storage
larsnelson76 on
Iron rust batteries are coming that will cost three hundred dollars. They will last as long as your house. You will just store electricity and won’t really think about it. Just the washing of solar panels once a year.
Tangentkoala on
I’ve been waiting for years for this to happen. Not sure why development stalled so hard.
I think our major problem relies on the efficency of solar panels itself.
With our tech, solar panels only capture 15% of energy.
In theory, the max we could boost this number is around 33% we are only at half our potential. Got a feeling once we figure out how to tap into that potential more adoption would come.
AmericanKamikaze on
This is anti consumer bullshit. I understand these power companies have to make money but electricity is also a given right. The cities or states need to take over at that point and distribute it so everyone has access instead of disallowing it because it’s “too cheap” what the fuck is that. These dinosaur electric companies are grasping onto old business models when the world is changing so instead they stifle innovation and fuck everyone over instead.
grafknives on
That lump will be spread out for longer time, as we get more vertical double sided PV.
it could be therefore more than 6 hours
nopetynopetynops on
If the cost of solar is plummeting why havent solar panels gotten cheaper for personal use in the last 12 months?
det1rac on
Good the answer to the energy capacity crisis I keep hearing about.
bunoso on
I’m all for renewable energy, but one I’ve learned watching some electrical engineers is that is more complicated than you think. The grid is a delicate balance of many factors including generation capacity and frequency, demand, types of power generation, inertia in the system, and more.
I say if there is excess energy do some hydrolysis and collect hydrogen. Convert a generator to run off hydrogen power then you could get a decent backup plan for when there are low power days.
viotix90 on
Good. Power is a utility, not a for-profit business.
lAljax on
Very interesting read. This passage struck me a bit
>The question “can we build processes that use free energy one quarter of the time” is one of the most important and unexplored questions in the future of energy.
I think the easier way would probably use infrastructure we already have on max output. I can see AC trying to freeze water after the room temperature is low enough, so the block of ice will help cooldown after the sun has set.
I think residential thermal storage is the perfect energy sink.
charronia on
If it becomes too cheap, wouldn’t that deter further investment in solar? One of the major incentives for people to get solar panels is that they can get a good return on investment compared to getting their energy from elsewhere.
14 Comments
>The cost of solar panels is plummeting, and this will flood the power grid with cheap electricity. But that’s just Act 1. We won’t stop building solar at the limits of the grid – we’ll build a lot more.
Yes. Eventually more and more households will be energy self-sufficient (or better). And not just from solar. There’s other sorts of alternative energy generation tech coming, too, which will surprise many folks not keeping abreast of the developments.
With the way Russia keeps destroying centralized energy production sources in Ukraine, if the war lasts another year or two, we may see Ukraine adopting the new smaller scale energy production sources faster than anyone else. That could make Ukraine an ideal test bed for this sort of R&D on the behalf of western tech companies wanting to profit from the coming new paradigm.
unless we develop good and relatively cheap energy storage
Iron rust batteries are coming that will cost three hundred dollars. They will last as long as your house. You will just store electricity and won’t really think about it. Just the washing of solar panels once a year.
I’ve been waiting for years for this to happen. Not sure why development stalled so hard.
I think our major problem relies on the efficency of solar panels itself.
With our tech, solar panels only capture 15% of energy.
In theory, the max we could boost this number is around 33% we are only at half our potential. Got a feeling once we figure out how to tap into that potential more adoption would come.
This is anti consumer bullshit. I understand these power companies have to make money but electricity is also a given right. The cities or states need to take over at that point and distribute it so everyone has access instead of disallowing it because it’s “too cheap” what the fuck is that. These dinosaur electric companies are grasping onto old business models when the world is changing so instead they stifle innovation and fuck everyone over instead.
That lump will be spread out for longer time, as we get more vertical double sided PV.
it could be therefore more than 6 hours
If the cost of solar is plummeting why havent solar panels gotten cheaper for personal use in the last 12 months?
Good the answer to the energy capacity crisis I keep hearing about.
I’m all for renewable energy, but one I’ve learned watching some electrical engineers is that is more complicated than you think. The grid is a delicate balance of many factors including generation capacity and frequency, demand, types of power generation, inertia in the system, and more.
https://youtu.be/7G4ipM2qjfw?si=CjuzXjQjCjVuWhvB
https://youtu.be/ZwkNTwWJP5k?si=pmVAZwRyBLmgUFrG
I say if there is excess energy do some hydrolysis and collect hydrogen. Convert a generator to run off hydrogen power then you could get a decent backup plan for when there are low power days.
Good. Power is a utility, not a for-profit business.
Very interesting read. This passage struck me a bit
>The question “can we build processes that use free energy one quarter of the time” is one of the most important and unexplored questions in the future of energy.
I think the easier way would probably use infrastructure we already have on max output. I can see AC trying to freeze water after the room temperature is low enough, so the block of ice will help cooldown after the sun has set.
I think residential thermal storage is the perfect energy sink.
If it becomes too cheap, wouldn’t that deter further investment in solar? One of the major incentives for people to get solar panels is that they can get a good return on investment compared to getting their energy from elsewhere.