Solar Energy photo voltaic panels

[AronSearle]

Rates for electricity from Solar PV are going down rapidly (halved in 2 years)

The cost of producing the panels has halved, which technically means the electricity generation is less, except.

No battery solution has yet to be invented now or on the horizon that will present a cost effective solution, so PV goes into the grid, most of which is lost or unused, and still requires those nasty gas and cola power stations.

So yea, it has gotten cheaper to produce power from PV, if you simply ignore large parts of the costs.

Lolz.

while rates for Electricity from gas are going up quickly.

Gas prices are falling, and will fall when people pull their finger out about shale gas.

Costs are also rising due to carbon taxes.

At some point there will be a crossover when renewables become cheaper than electricty from gas

If by renewables you mean wave power, possibly, solar and wind still require "standard" power stations.

but if we don't invest in renewables

I agree, all the technical advancements in modern history have only come about by governments throwing money around.

/sark

 

[Bosswhite]

A recent problem that this Country has experienced

 

[flameport]

First of all, a typical solar PV system will pay for itself in around 10 years

First of all, this thread is a year old, and spamming it with details of your bandwagon company isn't allowed.

Second, they only pay for themselves if this doesn't happen:

If you think that's unlikely, read this: http://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/650000_solar_panels_declared_fire_risk_2356

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Awww. I was going to ask our "green hero" how long the electronic components in his panels would last given that external aerial amplifiers, telephone junction boxes, etc seem to last 7 to 9 years round here (and when I lived near to the sea it was 5 years because of the salt air)

Liked the links to the disasters!

 

[Peter1919]

Well the panel manufacturers generally offer a 20 year manufacturers guaruntee on the panels

 

[ToolbeltDandy]

Awww. I was going to ask our "green hero" how long the electronic components in his panels would last given that external aerial amplifiers, telephone junction boxes, etc seem to last 7 to 9 years round here (and when I lived near to the sea it was 5 years because of the salt air)

Liked the links to the disasters!

Also, if you follow the link, it says the fires were limited to the products of one particular (now bankrupt) company.

What did you enjoy about the links to the disasters?

 

[GoGreena]

First of all, a typical solar PV system will pay for itself in around 10 years

First of all, this thread is a year old, and spamming it with details of your bandwagon company isn't allowed.

Second, they only pay for themselves if this doesn't happen:

If you think that's unlikely, read this: http://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/650000_solar_panels_declared_fire_risk_2356[/QUOTE]

The article you linked to refers to one specific type of panel from one (now bankrupt) manufacturer. The article says the fire risk was from faulty junction boxes, not the panels. A junction box is a pretty standard electrical component used in all kinds of situations.

I am fully aware that the thread is over a year old. The 10 year figure I mentioned applies to a new PV system installed today (i.e. after the FiT reduction in August 2012).

And finally, I don't appreciate the accusation of spamming - did you see any links in my last post?

 

[GeeTee]

While I recognise this is a resurrected zombie thread - as it has now popped to the top of the list anyway I thought I'd pick up on some of the earlier posters' comments about the cost implications to everybody of these initiatives. Only because it is fresh in my mind having read an article ealier today on El Reg ( http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/0...e_truth_on_how_greengov_cranks_up_your_bills/ )

From nPower's "Energy Explained" report detailing how the cost of electricity to customers is impacted ( http://www.npower.com/idc/groups/wcms_content/@wcms/@corp/documents/business/ee_latest_report.pdf )

The nub of the matter seems to be that the constantly spouted wisdom that it is rapidly rising gas prices and supplier profit gouging driving up costs to consumers is simply not true - gas prices are fairly static and predicted to remain so, supplier profit margins are also static although the actual amount they pull in is increasing thanks to the increased amounts billed to consumers. What is driving up costs to the consumers is the government mandated policies for expanding renewable energy (subsidising wind / solar / tidal etc.) and home insulation subsidies.

Both the nPower report and the El Reg article make an interesting read - I thought at least