Interesting.

Solar cell technology could soon tap into the massive energy potential
of windows and other transparent objects, new research has shown.

Scientists have been working on transparent solar panels which could be
used as windows in cars or homes at the same time as generating electricity.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a8018071.html
--
Bod

On Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 3:56:31 PM UTC-4, Bod wrote:
Interesting.

Solar cell technology could soon tap into the massive energy potential
of windows and other transparent objects, new research has shown.

Scientists have been working on transparent solar panels which could be
used as windows in cars or homes at the same time as generating electricity.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a8018071.html
--
Bod

Sounds like another pipe dream of impracticality for a variety of reasons.

On 24/10/2017 21:14, trader_4 wrote:
On Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 3:56:31 PM UTC-4, Bod wrote:
Interesting.

Solar cell technology could soon tap into the massive energy potential
of windows and other transparent objects, new research has shown.

Scientists have been working on transparent solar panels which could be
used as windows in cars or homes at the same time as generating electricity.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a8018071.html
--
Bod

Sounds like another pipe dream of impracticality for a variety of reasons.

I'm sitting on the fence with this one, but I get your gist.

--
Bod

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 13:14:22 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

On Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 3:56:31 PM UTC-4, Bod wrote:
Interesting.

Solar cell technology could soon tap into the massive energy potential
of windows and other transparent objects, new research has shown.

Scientists have been working on transparent solar panels which could be
used as windows in cars or homes at the same time as generating electricity.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a8018071.html
--
Bod

Sounds like another pipe dream of impracticality for a variety of reasons.

It will be an interesting house that has that much south facing glass.
Around here you wouldn't even generate enough electricity to run the
AC necessary to get rid of the heat those windows let in. I have
exactly zero south facing windows. My garage is on the south side of
the house ... on purpose. There are also awnings over the west facing
windows.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 20:56:26 +0100, Bod wrote:

Interesting.

Solar cell technology could soon tap into the massive energy potential
of windows and other transparent objects, new research has shown.

Scientists have been working on transparent solar panels which could be
used as windows in cars or homes at the same time as generating electricity.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a8018071.html

Solar windows have been around a long time. The point is how they
face. What directions.

On 10/24/2017 04:11 PM, Oren wrote:
On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 20:56:26 +0100, Bod wrote:

Interesting.

Solar cell technology could soon tap into the massive energy potential
of windows and other transparent objects, new research has shown.

Scientists have been working on transparent solar panels which could be
used as windows in cars or homes at the same time as generating electricity.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a8018071.html

Solar windows have been around a long time. The point is how they
face. What directions.


Do you need a rotating house?

On 10/24/2017 4:11 PM, Oren wrote:
On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 20:56:26 +0100, Bod wrote:

Interesting.

Solar cell technology could soon tap into the massive energy potential
of windows and other transparent objects, new research has shown.

Scientists have been working on transparent solar panels which could be
used as windows in cars or homes at the same time as generating electricity.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a8018071.html
Solar windows have been around a long time. The point is how they
face. What directions.

Â* Well , it ain't 'lectrickycity , but I do use solar windows ... my
house faces 30° west of true north , and the southern exposure is over
50% windows . No low-e glass , I want the solar heat gain . In winter ,
that is . I plan an overhead trellis for seasonal vegetation to provide
shade on the deck in summer . Probably muscadines ...

Â* --

Â* Snag

On Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 3:56:31 PM UTC-4, Bod wrote:
Interesting.

Solar cell technology could soon tap into the massive energy potential
of windows and other transparent objects, new research has shown.

Scientists have been working on transparent solar panels which could be
used as windows in cars or homes at the same time as generating electricity.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a8018071.html
--
Bod

My irony meter pegged when I saw he is from Michigan State University.
It's located in East Lansing, Michigan, which has 71 completely sunny
days and 104 partly sunny days per year.

Cindy Hamilton

On 10/24/2017 12:56 PM, Bod wrote:
Interesting.

Solar cell technology could soon tap into the massive energy potential
of windows and other transparent objects, new research has shown.

Scientists have been working on transparent solar panels which could be
used as windows in cars or homes at the same time as generating
electricity.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a8018071.html



Solar panels and windows do not give back more energy that it takes to
produce them. And they have a very limited lifespan. The batteries
are really expensive and pollute like hell to produce. Not to mention
they occasionally catch fire. Their disposal is a toxic waste
nightmare.

Solar is (currently) only economically viable for living off the grid.

On Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 2:41:30 PM UTC-4, T wrote:
On 10/24/2017 12:56 PM, Bod wrote:
Interesting.

Solar cell technology could soon tap into the massive energy potential
of windows and other transparent objects, new research has shown.

Scientists have been working on transparent solar panels which could be
used as windows in cars or homes at the same time as generating
electricity.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a8018071.html



Solar panels and windows do not give back more energy that it takes to
produce them.

Where is the cite for that claim? One typical size panel puts out
about 250 watts in full sun. Derate that by 60% and you still
have 100 watts. A hundred watts for 10 hours a day over 20 years
is a hell of a lot of energy.

And they have a very limited lifespan.

Says who? They've been around for ten or fifteen years and so far
I haven't heard of massive early failures. Plus all of them have
warranties, don't they?



The batteries
are really expensive and pollute like hell to produce. Not to mention
they occasionally catch fire. Their disposal is a toxic waste
nightmare.


What batteries? Very few of the millions of solar installs here in
the USA have batteries, they are grid tied.


Solar is (currently) only economically viable for living off the grid.

Those exceptional cases are the ones that would use batteries. I agree
that solar is only economically viable with subsidies at this point.
That's the only thing you got right here.

On Thu, 26 Oct 2017 14:39:11 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

Where is the cite for that claim? One typical size panel puts out
about 250 watts in full sun. Derate that by 60% and you still
have 100 watts. A hundred watts for 10 hours a day over 20 years
is a hell of a lot of energy.

I am in Florida where the sun actually shines and the solar contractor
told me not to count on more that the equivalent of 6 hours a day at
the rated capacity. They also degrade a few percent a year ... and
this was the guy trying to sell them to me.

The fact is, without a hefty subsidy from the government, the numbers
just do not work out. When Florida's money ran out, so did my
interest.

On Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 7:23:33 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Thu, 26 Oct 2017 14:39:11 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

Where is the cite for that claim? One typical size panel puts out
about 250 watts in full sun. Derate that by 60% and you still
have 100 watts. A hundred watts for 10 hours a day over 20 years
is a hell of a lot of energy.

I am in Florida where the sun actually shines and the solar contractor
told me not to count on more that the equivalent of 6 hours a day at
the rated capacity. They also degrade a few percent a year ... and
this was the guy trying to sell them to me.

The fact is, without a hefty subsidy from the government, the numbers
just do not work out. When Florida's money ran out, so did my
interest.

Rated capacity for 6 hours a day would be even higher than my winging
it estimate. I said 250 x 40% x 10 hours a day = 1000 watt hours

or 250 x 6 hours = 1500 watt hours

It's still a lot of energy and I don't believe there is any way that
after not many years you'd get back the energy it took to make them.
Maybe Mr. T will provide us the source that shows otherwise, but I'm
not holding my breath. I agree that they are not economically viable
without subsidies, but that's a different story.

On Thu, 26 Oct 2017 17:16:33 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

On Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 7:23:33 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Thu, 26 Oct 2017 14:39:11 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

Where is the cite for that claim? One typical size panel puts out
about 250 watts in full sun. Derate that by 60% and you still
have 100 watts. A hundred watts for 10 hours a day over 20 years
is a hell of a lot of energy.

I am in Florida where the sun actually shines and the solar contractor
told me not to count on more that the equivalent of 6 hours a day at
the rated capacity. They also degrade a few percent a year ... and
this was the guy trying to sell them to me.

The fact is, without a hefty subsidy from the government, the numbers
just do not work out. When Florida's money ran out, so did my
interest.

Rated capacity for 6 hours a day would be even higher than my winging
it estimate. I said 250 x 40% x 10 hours a day = 1000 watt hours

or 250 x 6 hours = 1500 watt hours

It's still a lot of energy and I don't believe there is any way that
after not many years you'd get back the energy it took to make them.
Maybe Mr. T will provide us the source that shows otherwise, but I'm
not holding my breath. I agree that they are not economically viable
without subsidies, but that's a different story.

I always said that at a buck a watt it would be a thing. Now you can
get collectors for that or pretty close, then the government here
raised their ugly head and said you could not install them yourself
and still use a grid tie.
They also said collectors must meet the 160 MPH wind code, which puts
those buck a watt collectors off the table and made the installation
hardware much more expensive.
My other problem is, I do not really have a good place to put them
without cutting down someone else's trees.

On 10/24/2017 3:56 PM, Bod wrote:
Interesting.

Solar cell technology could soon tap into the massive energy potential of windows and other transparent objects, new research has shown.

Scientists have been working on transparent solar panels which could be used as windows in cars or homes at the same time as generating electricity.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a8018071.html


The days of burning fossil fuels for energy are about over:

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/...made-practical