[mythtv-users] [Slightly OT] solar power for all our gadgets

[Jos Hoekstra]

Jon Bishop schreef op 10-3-2009 12:37:
>> <snip>
> 
>> The truly sad thing is that if we (USA) had built just ten nuclear power
>> plants of normal capacity per year since 1980, we would now emit zero
>> carbon from producing our electricity in this country--with the exception
>> of load balancing generation.
>>
>> So, the anti-nuclear lobby caused our contribution to global warming.  
>> I'm
>> still waiting for them to admit it and change their stance...
>>
>> Unfortunately, a bunch of the USA public let themselves be frightened 
>> into
>> going along with them, and did not think through the consequences--which
>> is now expensive electricity in much of the country and carbon emissions
>> from coal plants elsewhere.  It's not possible to turn on a dime and
>> correct their mistake.  We're all going to be stuck with the cost of 
>> their
>> ignorance.
> 
> While I am all for building a few more nuclear plants (or as good ol 'W' 
> likes to sake Nukuler) I still believe that every citizen has a 
> responsibility to produce a portion of the energy that they use. Some 
> places, solar will be the option (and with the thin film printed solar 
> panels, they're just using ink now... these aren't mainstream yet, but 
> they're coming) some places wind will work better, other places can use 
> micro-hydro, and many people will be able to combine all of the above. 
> Combine this with batteries in all the homes (load balancing plus UPS 
> for all) and a smart power grid with tiered rates, and our power 
> problems would be in the past...
> 
> ~Jon

In (mainland)Europe the prices are quite different, you pay 22 ct/KWh 
and prices per Wp are now slowly dropping from 5 to 4 euro(compared with 
the earlier shown prices of around 3,40 calculated loosely based on 
echangerate of ,78 euro/dollar and the site Marc showed) 'you Yanks' are 
still paying ridicillously little for your power.
I plan on moving to Spain in some years and there I'm gonna put some 
cells on the roof, grid-connected they pay twice the price of normal 
electricity to me which makes it profitable with around 6 or 7 years, 
with an expected lifespan of 30 years on the panels with a limited wear 
and renewing the inverters every 10-12 years it's something I don't mind 
investing in.

Jos