Scientists Develop Affordable Solar Panels That Work In The Dark

[MarineUS]

I've seen people get paid BY the electric company because the solar panels on their home produced more electricity than they used (therefore turning their meter backwards).

Low electric usage + Solar panels = return

[Belial]

Someone who works in a factory usually knows everything there is to know about how solar power works right...no lol


Most of this stuff goes past peoples heads at 200mph

[Seraphim]

What made me laugh was the "Since my company hasn't made anything like it - it can't exist." type phrase.

Granted I'm no specialist, nor do I claim to be. I just find the arrogance of that statement laughable.

I'm not saying it can't exist Marine. What I'm saying is that the assumption of their 'high efficiency' does not mean %100. In fact, no efficiency numbers are even stated. The fly's eye is a very good idea, but it does not increase the actual efficiency of the cell itself, it increases the efficiency of the fixture's ability to collect light.

What's 'high efficiency' to one company might be low compared to others, and vice versa. Our cells were invented specifically for the space industry, because of high efficiency, light weight, and being robust. We've just begun getting in to the terrestrial market, because our cost has been dropping rapidly, to where a concentrator assembly is cost efficient for some.

Sure the paint can exist. But what is the efficiency? I haven't seen it yet.

[bozon]

Read what the article says.
They do not claim to convert 100% of of the energy, they say that the can use nearly the entire spectrum. It most likely have an improved response to long wavelengths such as the infrared so it can produce some output at night (they skies are bright in infrared even at night, which is a <filter protected word> for infrared astronomers). Also during the day a large fraction of the solar radiation is in wavelengths longer than our visible range.

[dedalos]

I've seen people get paid BY the electric company because the solar panels on their home produced more electricity than they used (therefore turning their meter backwards).

Low electric usage + Solar panels = return

Don't fight with the mail room experts Marine    We had solar powered water heaters in my parents house since the 80s.  I don't remember ever being without hot water even when several teens were there, so you could say the return on investment was a couple of months?  I don't understand why people are fighting this idea.

[Shuffler]

Are there any articles elsewhere? This link is not working for me.

[grizz441]

Don't fight with the mail room experts Marine    We had solar powered water heaters in my parents house since the 80s.  I don't remember ever being without hot water even when several teens were there, so you could say the return on investment was a couple of months?  I don't understand why people are fighting this idea.

Solar panels can be a good investment and positive return if the governement pays for the panels with money it doesn't have to eat the loss. 

What's the average life span of a solar panel?

[tf15pin]

Without subsidies it is not worth doing right now. I think the time will come where fossil fuel energy sources will become expensive enough that solar cells will make sense without the subsidies. With the natural gas boom in the US that may be a long ways out. Another interesting thing is that if we move away from gas powered automobiles where is the government going to make up for that lost tax revenue?

The lifespan will depend a lot on what material is used and the packaging. Stable materials like single crystal silicon should be operating at better than 80% of the original output after 20 years. Materials like hydrogen passivated amorphous silicon will probably only see half of that life, but because they are cheaper it might still be viable.

Something I have not heard about is if insurance companies will cover things like hail, lightning strikes, or the neighbor kids baseball.

Anyways, I am glad all this stuff is happening; it is paying to put me through grad school and giving me hope of finding a job after I get out.

[dedalos]

Solar panels can be a good investment and positive return if the governement pays for the panels with money it doesn't have to eat the loss. 

What's the average life span of a solar panel?

Don't know Grizz.  Never had them.  But I can tell you that my dads house is still using the same hot water heaters since 1983 or so.  So, what is your point by quoting me?  You may or may not be right about the cost.  However, that does not make anything impossible for the future.  If I remember correctly the claim is that a way to make them cheap was being developed? 

What does the "my company could not do it therefore it is impossible" have to do with what you quoted and what you responded with?

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Don't know Grizz.  Never had them.  But I can tell you that my dads house is still using the same hot water heaters since 1983 or so. 

Hot water heaters are exactly not solar panels. They use suns heat to directly warm water, solar panels produce electricity.

[dedalos]

Hot water heaters are exactly not solar panels. They use suns heat to directly warm water, solar panels produce electricity.

Yep.  Just an example of how the sun can be used to save money and a quick return on investment.  That is why I asked why he was quoting me.

[Shuffler]

Really strange but this site does not come up on any of the computers here. Only show facebook crap at the top. lol

[grizz441]

Yep.  Just an example of how the sun can be used to save money and a quick return on investment.  That is why I asked why he was quoting me.

I was just quoting you to quote you.  Don't mind the black helicopters, they are there for your protection!

[Carrel]

Someone who works in a factory usually knows everything there is to know about how solar power works right...no lol


Most of this stuff goes past peoples heads at 200mph

I guess we can't all be as sharp as you are, huh?

[moot]

Are there any articles elsewhere? This link is not working for me.

http://newscenter.lbl.gov/feature-stories/2011/01/24/practical-full-spectrum/