Skip to main content

Much Cheaper Now, and Still on Your Rooftop

Your Rooftop

Solar Power generation costs have dropped to an extent where a unit of solar power is cheaper than what you pay to the utilities in some regions.

According to an analysis at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, solar photovoltaic systems are very close to achieving the tipping point and becoming mainstream.

According to Joshua Pearce, an associate professor of electrical engineering and materials science at Michigan Technological University and a member of the team that conducted the analysis, the price of solar panels has dropped 70% since 2009. Equally important, it is now evident that assumptions used in previous studies to compute the cost of solar power generation were flawed.

"Historically, when comparing the economics of solar and conventional energy, people have been very conservative," says Pearce.

When computing the cost of photovoltaic energy, analysts need to factor in variables like cost to install and maintain the system, finance charges, how long it lasts, and how much electricity it generates.

Following an exhaustive review of previous studies, Pearce and his colleagues concluded that the values given those variables were out of whack.

"It is still a common misconception that solar PV technology has a short life and is therefore extremely expensive," he said. However, PV panels are solid-state electronic devices with no moving parts and should last a long time. "Based on the latest long-term studies, we should be doing our economic analysis on a 30-year lifetime at minimum," Pearce said.

In addition, most analysis assume that the productivity of solar panels will drop at an annual rate of 1 percent or more, a huge overestimation, according to Pearce. "If you buy a top-of-the-line solar panel, it's much less, between 0.1 and 0.2 percent."

Finally, "The price of the solar equipment has been dropping, so you'd think that the older papers would have higher cost estimates," Pearce said. "That's not necessarily the case."

Equipment costs are determined based on dollars per watt of electricity produced. Very recent studies set the amount between $2 and $10. The true cost in 2011, says Pearce, is under $1 per watt for solar panels on the global market, though system and installation costs vary widely. In some parts of the world, solar is already economically superior.

For example, France's Solairedirect recently bid to supply solar power to India's national power grid at Rs7.49 (US$0.14) per unit (kWh), a rate that is below the average cost of power generated by diesel generators, which is about Rs 13 (US$0.25) per unit.

The Solairedirect bid is no aberration or market capturing ploy. Other companies have successfully bid in the Rs8.00 to Rs8.28 range.

The environmental benefits of using solar power - reduced pollution and carbon emissions - are not factored in in economic studies like Pearce's.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Keyboard Keychain

Keyboard Keychain These days many of us need devices that will enable us to operate our smartphones and tablets wherever we want with equal dexterity and comfort, virtual keyboards maybe topping the list of useful gadgets . These days many of us need devices that will enable us to operate our smartphones and tablets wherever we want with equal dexterity and comfort, virtual keyboards maybe topping the list of useful gadgets .
2 comments
Read more

Starfish Shaped Cell Phone

True, we don’t seem to have had this one before: the new idea for the shape of a cell phone is a star fish. The Oriental have made a habit of choosing queer ones, and you may catch a surprised glance or two getting it out. By the way, it’s clearly defined as a “Lady’s Cell Phone”, so get ready to begin living in an aquarium. Fun aside, what you may want to get for $126 is the Star Shape Lady’s Cell Phone - an unlocked GSM phone with a 1.8″ touchscreen. You will find all the modern features present – Bluetooth, a built-in camera. You are offered a choice of a blue, green, gold or pink starfish with an included 2GB memory card. Since it’s generally dark at the bottom of the sea, the Starfish Cell Phone is decked with artificial diamonds that can exude light.
Post a Comment
Read more

Electronic Cigarette

Ever thought how good would it be if there was a way to reduce the harm of cigarettes without giving up the habit of smoking? Here is the answer, Myvic Electronic Cigarette is a revolutionary new product which is drastically healthier than traditional smoking. It will improve your health while giving the same sensations as ordinary cigarettes. There are more than 4000 chemicals found in the ordinary cigarettes, of which at least 400 are harmful for the human body. They contain, tar, carbon monoxide, benzene, acetone, formaldehyde, arsenic and many others. This chemicals contribute to lung cancer and many other diseases associated with cigarette smoking. While using Myvic Electronic Cigarette you have to change nicotine refills, which range from high concentrate nicotine to zero nicotine content. The refill contains nicotine and propylene glycol (harmless to human body). Nicotine is not believed to cause cancer, and compared to all the chemicals inhaled while smoking ordinary cigarett...
8 comments
Read more