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It all comes down to economics. If solar or any renewable energy is cheaper than oil, then it will be enough to persuade people to use it over oil. I do believe that renewables will be competitive because of technological advancements but it needs to happen sooner.
I've read some articles on thermal mass storage systems used with CSP (concentrated solar power, aka thermal) systems. I believe they are building a pilot system using a molten salt as the storage medium. These wouldn't work with photovoltaic solar panels, at least not w/o a redundant heating and generation system.
Are there systems that actually store electricity on a meaningful scale, either a very large battery bank or caps? I'm not aware of any and would like to learn.
ScienceDaily (Mar. 17, 2011) — Though considered a promising large-scale energy storage device, the vanadium redox battery's use has been limited by its inability to work well in a wide range of temperatures and its high cost. But new research indicates that modifying the battery's electrolyte solution significantly improves its performance. So much so that the upgraded battery could improve the electric grid's reliability and help connect more wind turbines and solar panels to the grid.
Ceramatec Develops 24-hour Solar Energy Storage Battery (http://www.solarfeeds.com/cooler-planet/8393-ceramatec-develops-24-hour-solar-energy-storage-battery - broken link)
Quote:
Salt Lake City-based Cerametec, Inc. is in development of a battery that solar energy users outside the grid could use to store energy from their solar panels for most of a day, and its size and configuration – almost fitting in the palm of a hand, without lead and sulfur – promises safer, more manageable energy storage.
The battery runs on a sodium-sulfur mix, which is reportedly more energy intensive than typical lead-acid batteries, and has a 92-percent charge/discharge rating, allowing grid-tied solar energy users to store energy from their solar panels during off-peak hours (typically midnight to 7 a.m.) and use them when kilowatt-hour electricity costs soar during the day.
Pennsylvania and Arizona -- Coming on the heels of yesterday's announcement of the successful coupling of a 1-MW battery with an 11-MW wind farm in Minnesota, two announcements today highlight the use of batteries with solar energy systems.
In Pennsylvania, U.S. battery manufacturer, International Battery announced that power electronics manufacturer, Princeton Power Systems, will be using batteries on a new solar energy system being installed at Princeton Power’s headquarters in New Jersey.
Throw in the fact that its a cleaner energy source and it compels people to make the change at some point even if its close to the price of oil.
Firstly we don't generate electric with oil so comparing it to oil is pointless, secondly that article is complete BS becsue it overlooks the subsidies.
While I don't completly poopoo any alternative power source I often wonder if the majority of people actually the power needs of the US intergrated electrical grid... Demand response is measured in multiple MEGAWATTS not watts. Part of my reluctance to embrace alternative sources is that I can't imagine the size of a system required to respond such demand ( as I set looking at a 10,000 hp 7Mw D/F engine)
I live in a cloudy and dark part of Germany.
My water is heated by solar; I've never lacked hot water, even in the depths of winter.
Europeans have been using solar for years with great results.
You know when I lived in Michigan I saw a lot more of those solar water heaters than I did in Florida.
But this isn't photovoltaic like the OP quoted, thats thermal transfer, which is much less harmful for the economy.
For the life of me I don't know why most if not everyone isn't using solar water heaters.
You forgot the other side of the equation. The long term trend is rising oil prices. As emerging market countries continue to grow increasing demand for oil is going to push up prices.
Between the technological improvement in solar power panel power output and the innovations being made with battery storage technology solar is about to be a game changer when it comes to energy. Even countries in the MIddle East are now involved in solor energy projects.
I also saw an announcement this morning that China is going away from building new nuclear power plants altogether and they are going to invest more in solar. They are already the world largest producer of electricity from solar power.
There are enough supplies of cheap energy sources to meet demand, and keep photovoltaic solar cells from coming to the forefront.
Shale gas, oil-shale, wind, nuclear, etc. They are cheaper, better, and solar will never meet that demand without a significant scientific breakthrough.
I like thermal transfer solar, but photovoltaic are to expensive, to harmful to the environment, and are decades away.
The link in the OP misses a couple fundimental probems with solar power. First, the sun doesn't shine all the time! Solar is only practical as a suplimental source for established baseline power, unless energy storage on a massive scale can be implemented.
Nothing wrong with that. Why must all the power come from one source? It should be a variety of sources. Many already use gas/electric. Why not solar too?
For instance the Prius has an optional solar roof. Not powerful enough to run the car but it helps with other items.
Technology is something we do well. If the incentive is there I can very much believe that we will develop solar and other alternative energy sources to a point where they are economically very viable.
Technology is something we do well. If the incentive is there I can very much believe that we will develop solar and other alternative energy sources to a point where they are economically very viable.
The problem with solar isn't technology, its chemistry. Changing the laws of physics isn't possible.
There may be a magic formula that could double or triple the output of photovoltaic cells, but if it is, its decades away.
Todays solution is oil shale, shale gas, wind, and nuclear. Increase electrical supplies with clean coal and nuclear plants, transition to more electric cars with hydrogen back up for longer rides.
The Presidents hope to push for more biofuels is a joke, unless we can figure out how to turn switch grass and farming byproduct into ethanol.
Its just a theory at this point. However, he has been fairly accurate on some things. We'll see, but its going to take significant increases in the energy output per solar panel. The Futurist didn't mention that they would double in output power, but that the use of solar panels would double every two years.
I'm all for solar, but honestly its still years away. Wind, oil shale, and natural gas are the short term solutions to our domestic energy needs.
Many states don't have much SUN . I see the solar farms in Arizona , great for Arizona . I see less sun and many acres of forest in the northeast . Are we going to cut down trees to farm solar ?
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