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I applaud this move, but it should be understood in the bigger picture. Eventually the utility companies will start offering solar electric from huge farms. At

I applaud this move, but it should be understood in the bigger picture. Eventually the utility companies will start offering solar electric from huge farms. At that point, local solar panels will be considered inefficient and perhaps even dangerous. So when it comes time to renew these panels, they will abandoned. But if that what it takes to get us to utility solar, than great!

Gention 4y ago
Would you care to elaborate your thinking? We still have way to little solar in general. We also don't have huge areas were we want to just put solar panels. At least I thought or still think that in countries like Germany it makes total sense, even in the very long run, to keep solar locally on your roof. Also those panels don't loose there value just because they are 20 years old. They will produce less but they will be paid of at that time. So why would I abandone them at all? It would only make sense if suddenly energy overall becomes totally cheap from your proposed solar farms. But that would I Claude not only energy like power but also heating. As soon as energy hits rock bottom my assumption is that heating will be the last big energy consumer.
meamin 4y ago
Rooftop actually has a few advantages that counter act its increased cost vs farms: - Because the panels are geographically distributed it has less variance. A cloud can pass over a solar farm and you get one huge megawatt swing but when distributed it is much more predictable. If it is 50% cloudy you will get 50% generation continuously. This means grid operators can reliably bring cheaper larger sources with slower ramp rates online that day like nuclear instead of gas turbines. These also reduces the need for energy storage. - Because the panels are closer to consumers there are less transmission losses and decreased capital cost in terms of energy transmission. Although distribution lines may need to be upgrade to compensate.

Gention 4y ago

Would you care to elaborate your thinking? We still have way to little solar in general. We also don't have huge areas were we want to just put solar panels. At least I thought or still think that in countries like Germany it makes total sense, even in the very long run, to keep solar locally on your roof. Also those panels don't loose there value just because they are 20 years old. They will produce less but they will be paid of at that time. So why would I abandone them at all? It would only make sense if suddenly energy overall becomes totally cheap from your proposed solar farms. But that would I Claude not only energy like power but also heating. As soon as energy hits rock bottom my assumption is that heating will be the last big energy consumer.

meamin 4y ago

Rooftop actually has a few advantages that counter act its increased cost vs farms: - Because the panels are geographically distributed it has less variance. A cloud can pass over a solar farm and you get one huge megawatt swing but when distributed it is much more predictable. If it is 50% cloudy you will get 50% generation continuously. This means grid operators can reliably bring cheaper larger sources with slower ramp rates online that day like nuclear instead of gas turbines. These also reduces the need for energy storage. - Because the panels are closer to consumers there are less transmission losses and decreased capital cost in terms of energy transmission. Although distribution lines may need to be upgrade to compensate.