> -----Original Message-----
> From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu On Behalf Of James Newton
> Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 8:01 PM
>
> Byron Jeff Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 15:24
> > 1) At the efficiency levels that solar converts to electricity,
> > it takes more energy to create solar panels than they produce.
>
> Ahhh... Huh? Could you provide a reference or supporting data for that
> assertion? If it takes more energy to make a solar panel than it will ever
> produce, wouldn't the cost of the panel exceed the value of the
> electricity
> produced? Why would anyone produce a panel if that were the case? Wouldn't
> the power to make it cost them more than the panel is worth?

I've never encountered good data that proves or disproves the proposition
that it takes more energy to make them than they can produce. However, it is
plausible because of the substantial discounts on electricity prices for
industry, see:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html

To use California as an example, average residential power costs 14.26
(Cents per kilowatthour) while industry pays only 9.75. If the manufacturer
is in another state, like say the Iowa Thin Film Co. now known as
http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/, they'd only pay 4.45. Also some, possibly
much, of the energy used in the manufacturing operation will come from less
expensive fossil fuel sources further lowering the total cost of energy
(e.g. natural gas fired kilns and ovens).

Whether or not solar panel production uses more energy than the panels will
produce, the panels certainly allow the transfer of industries cheaper
energy prices over to residential customers who typically get paid for the
solar generated power at the residential rate. If you where only paid the
industrial rate for the power you generate would the payback period exceed
the life span?

Paul Hutch

>
> http://techref.massmind.org/techref/other/solar/case1.htm my solar panels
> cost $16,000. The system cost $21,000 TOTAL including professional
> installation. I paid $12,759 after rebates. The first year, it made $1,400
> worth of electricity. The panels are warranted for 25 years so they should
> produce $29,400 dollars worth of electricity. And that assumes that the
> price of electricity stays the same; which it has not:
> http://techref.massmind.org/images/other/ePwrRates.GIF
>
> > 2) Solar panels have nasty stuff in them too. They cause issues in both
> > production and waste.
>
> Pretty much everything has nasty stuff in it, but I would curious to know
> exactly what they have that is any worse than roofing material.
>
> --
> James.

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