General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: New Bladeless Wind Generators... [View all]I like solar, and I think it has a realistic path to creating a relief system for parts of the grid. However, solar has some issues as well. here are a few.
1) Solar has the same cost to benefit issues that wind or other renewables have. The carbon it takes to produce, ship and maintain the solar panels are rarely factored into the total cost. As you know, they don't just magically spring into existence, but there is a back loaded carbon cost that needs to be considered...If they lasted forever, that would be one thing...But they don't and then:
2) The degradation of the cells...The solar panels themselves have a built in lifespan and then they have to be discarded and start fresh all over again. The same thing that happens to our little solar panels on garden lights, happens on a larger scale on solar farms; i.e: the panels are basically cooked by the sun. The silicone covering becomes clouded and UV damaged, and then the output suffers. Then the entire thing has to be trashed and a new panel installed...More cost and more carbon to build, transport and maintain a new panel.
The problem is that all of this has to be thought out scientifically with no agenda. If a person uses feelz, emotion and confirmation bias to judge a problem, then obvious issues are ignored. That's the problem with many of the renewables.
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