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Topic: STMicroelectronics Discovers Cheaper Solar Cell Production Method (Read 2108 times)
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Tracy Saboe
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http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2003/Oct/1020443.htmOK, this artical is from a year ago. Has anybody ("Steve maybe?") been following this, and perhaps aware of the progress? At the time, they said they hoped this these technologies would be comercially viable in a couple years. Well, that would put it around October of 2005 now. Just wondered. Tracy
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Tracy Saboe
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People keep looking at my car thread, and talking about cars, instead of reading the last few posts -- I suppose I shouldn't blame them -- the thread IS about Solar Cars after all. A year ago, their were some new ways discovered to make solar technology like 1 tenth of the current cost per kVA, then it currently costs now -- using recent advances in Nano-Technology. http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2003/Oct/1020443.htmThe story ran in numerous news sources at the time. It's been 13 months now. The last couple weeks, I decided I wanted to see if I could find any updates. I've been scouring the internet looking at technical NEWS sources, and even scanning the AAAS Nanotechnology Journal, as well as verious green news sources, and I haven't been able to find any. HAs anybody been following this more closely then I have been, that might know exactly where to look? I realize that Solar is too expensive to be practical now. But if they figure out how to mass produce these nanotechnologies reliably, Solar Energy could become significantly cheeper then oil -- fast. Now, who knows? Perhaps these cheeper nanno-tech solar pannels won't last 30 years like photo-voltic cells do, but given that they're potentially even 1 twentieth the price per unit energy they produce compaired to current photo-voltic cells, I'd say they'd probably be a competitive and viable alternative to oil, nucleur, and Wind technologies. It's my hope that by the time I move to New Hampshire, Solar Energy is on a competitive level with gas, so I can build an underground house but still have ellectricity to maintain the various luxeries TV, lights, etc. I currently enjoy, with-out needing to spend $10,000 plus on photovoltics. Seems like some of these new advances in nanno-Technology and solar energy, could be comercially viable with-in 3-4 years if any of them pan-out. Maybe their just too addicted to government contracts with China to focus on R&D  Tracy |
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Pat McCotter
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Visualize Whirled Peas
Give Pizza Chance
I think it's wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly. - Steven Wright
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maffew
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No time this morning, but this afternoon after I take a Chem test, I'll run some searches on Lexis-Nexis and Academic Search Premier and see if anything turns up.
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maffew
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Nothing new. Scientists in Italy have begun a 7-year project to create a new type of solar cell. It will be half as efficient as those currently on the market, converting about 10 percent of the light that strikes it into electric current. The tradeoff is that it will be so cheap to produce, its poor performance will be offset by simply using more cells. The project is being organized by STMicroelectronics of Naples, which is one of the world's largest semiconductor makers.
Popular Mechanics, Dec2003, Vol. 180 Issue 12, p28, 1p
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Tracy Saboe
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:'(
SO, I might have to wait 6 more years! :'(
Tracy
I was planing on moving in 2 or 3. Oh well. I suppose I can just donate excess money to the NHLP, NHRA, NHLA, and anti-tax groups and such.
I just don't want to move and build a new house untill the technology to live off-grid is viable enough with-out major changes to my lifestyle.
According to the terms and conditions we actually have 6 years to move after 20,000 people are reached right?
Tracy
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« Last Edit: November 15, 2004, 10:28:34 pm by Tracy Saboe »
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maffew
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If you are building, I think you could be damned near to living off the grid now. Geothermal heating/cooling. That takes care of a large portion of the energy used. After that you can build a big windmill or two, pretty cheap and easy to do using some automotive alternators. Some nice solar panels on the roof and maybe a solar water heater too.
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Tracy Saboe
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Passive solar energy (THe Pasive Solar House) typically is enough to heat your house if you build your house right -- especially if it's an earth sheltered home of some sort.
I'm just thinking more of ellectricity for computer, refridgerator, microwave, TV, lights and things.
Currently -- based on the amount of ellectricity we typically use on average, it would currently cost about $10,000 to replace all that ellectricity.
Considering that they're only warrantied for 20 years or so, I'm just not sure it's worth it. Considering our current ellectric bill is typically under $30. $40 at the max/month.
Well, $40*12*20 is only around $9,600.
And then their's the lost opportunity cost == that that $10,000 could have been growing to over $40,000 over that $20 year time.
Seems like to be practical I need to make my money back in quicker then 20 years. Seems to me like I need to make it back in at least 10 years to be competitive with other types of investments out there.
Tracy
P.S. I'm not familiar with Geo-Thermal.
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maffew
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Geo-Thermal
. Using a heat pump and lost of underground tubing, you either remove heat from the ground and put it in your house or you remove heat from you house and put it in the ground.
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Tracy Saboe
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OK thanks.
But, how do I make ellectricity out of it. I'm aware of many green passive heating systems.
How do I use it to make ellectricity so I can run my lights and stuff?
Tracy
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Tracy Saboe
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Also, if the earth is naturally only about 60 degrees, how is it going to heat my home up to 68 or 70?
I still think passive solar's probably the way to go for heat. (Simply build so you get good sun-light in the winter, and good insulation that trapps that heat in your house.) Simply build your house correctly in the first place, and you don't need anything else.
It seems like with this geo-thermal heating, if the sun heated the house above the temperature of the ground, it would start sucking heat out of the house.
Tracy
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pstudier
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Also, if the earth is naturally only about 60 degrees, how is it going to heat my home up to 68 or 70?
The idea of a heat pump is that you use a small amount of energy in the form of electricity to move a lot of heat out of the ground. Just like an air conditioner, but in the other direction. In fact, I believe that most heat pumps will go both ways. In winter the ground is warmer than the outside air, so one doesn't have to pump as hard. The disadvantages are the capital cost of the plumbing in the ground, and that you must use electricity for the pump, instead of natural gas or wood for a conventional furnace or fireplace. |
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maffew
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OK thanks.
But, how do I make ellectricity out of it. I'm aware of many green passive heating systems.
How do I use it to make ellectricity so I can run my lights and stuff?
Tracy
You already have a heat pump in your home -- your refrigerator. If you Click to view image put your hand behind it, you'll feel the heat that has been pumped from the inside and from its contents. It's the same principle that the geothermal heat pump uses to move heat to and from the home and earth.
In the summer, the heat pump extracts heat from the conditioned space and sends it out to the earth loop to warm the relatively cool ground, or pond, if it's an aqua loop.
In the winter, this process is reversed. The heat pump extracts heat from the relatively warm ground, usually warmer than the outdoor cold air, and pumps this heat into the conditioned space.
The result is the need for far less energy than the conventional air source heat pump system for year-round conditioning. Even in the winter, it is more efficient than conventional natural gas or oil heating systems. Geothermal won't make electricity, to make electricity I'd go with a wind turbine. I havn't looked into average wind speeds in NY though. |
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