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What is cool is that there are also lots of niche markets between now and that future that can use cheaper, shorter-lived, high efficiency panels. High altitud

What is cool is that there are also lots of niche markets between now and that future that can use cheaper, shorter-lived, high efficiency panels. High altitude drones or EVs are much easier to service than satellites: https://spectrum.ieee.org/new-type-of-unmanned-aircraft-aims-to-compete-commercially-with-satellites-and-drones https://spectrum.ieee.org/new-type-of-unmanned-aircraft-aims...

hnuser123456 4y ago
There are hobbyists making solar-powered remote-control planes that are just barely able to charge as much as they draw at noon on a sunny summer day.[1] Even a minor boost to efficiency could push this concept from "doable in ideal scenarios as a tech demo" to "useful in the real world as a way to multiply the range of electric fixed-wing aircraft" [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS2iCj-HSqY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS2iCj-HSqY
Sparkyte 4y ago
Imagine you're a truck driver and the whole top of your trailer has solar panels.
- the_third_wave 4y ago
  Let's say that truck roof covers about 41.5m² (the area of a standard 53' x 8.5' trailer roof). Let's further assume that 41m² of that is covered with PV panels. Using current technology (~21% efficiency silicon cells) and assuming standard irradiation of 1000W/m² this roof would produce ~200W/m² for a total of ~8.2kW. Add a 40' trailer (~31.5m² roof area, ~6.2kW) for a total of ~14.4kW. Using 31.5% efficient cells would raise this to ~22.7kW. Taking the newly releases Tesla semi as an example (~1 kWh/km, ~900 kWh battery pack) this would add about 14 km of range per hour using current cell technology or about 22 km per hour using these new cells. Assuming an average road speed of 80 km/h this would extend the range of the vehicle by up to ~25% for the new cells, ~18% for current cells during daylight hours with standard irradiation and no shading.
  - thedrbrian 4y ago
    >Let's say that truck roof covers about 41.5m² (the area of a standard 53' x 8.5' trailer roof). Let's further assume that 41m² of that is covered with PV panels. Using current technology (~21% efficiency silicon cells) and assuming standard irradiation of 1000W/m² this roof would produce ~200W/m² for a total of ~8.2kW. Add a 40' trailer (~31.5m² roof area, ~6.2kW) for a total of ~14.4kW. So you're now pulling two trailers but using the watts/km for one. Also your panels will be fixed to the roof and not tracking the sun. you aren't going to get near 30% for them.
    - Retric 4y ago
      First you can cover the truck and actual trailer with panels just fine. Intermodal shipping containers are designed to be stacked and include heavy duty attachment points. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodal_container#/media/File:Container_twistlock_connector.agr.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodal_container#/media/Fi... Second, you aren’t limited to the top of a vehicle, covering the sides is viable and makes up for the sun not being directly overhead.
    - the_third_wave 4y ago
      This depends on the load and on the veracity of the data given by Tesla. A load of styrofoam - which is used in construction, just look what goes under the on- and off-ramps of bridges - doesn't weigh all that much after all. Also, this was not an attempt at with 100% accuracy calculating the range effects of PV panels on the roof - notice the liberal use of the '~' sign and the fact that nearly everything is approximated and rounded down. Did you not notice?

hnuser123456 4y ago

There are hobbyists making solar-powered remote-control planes that are just barely able to charge as much as they draw at noon on a sunny summer day.[1] Even a minor boost to efficiency could push this concept from "doable in ideal scenarios as a tech demo" to "useful in the real world as a way to multiply the range of electric fixed-wing aircraft" [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS2iCj-HSqY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS2iCj-HSqY

Sparkyte 4y ago

Imagine you're a truck driver and the whole top of your trailer has solar panels.

the_third_wave 4y ago
Let's say that truck roof covers about 41.5m² (the area of a standard 53' x 8.5' trailer roof). Let's further assume that 41m² of that is covered with PV panels. Using current technology (~21% efficiency silicon cells) and assuming standard irradiation of 1000W/m² this roof would produce ~200W/m² for a total of ~8.2kW. Add a 40' trailer (~31.5m² roof area, ~6.2kW) for a total of ~14.4kW. Using 31.5% efficient cells would raise this to ~22.7kW. Taking the newly releases Tesla semi as an example (~1 kWh/km, ~900 kWh battery pack) this would add about 14 km of range per hour using current cell technology or about 22 km per hour using these new cells. Assuming an average road speed of 80 km/h this would extend the range of the vehicle by up to ~25% for the new cells, ~18% for current cells during daylight hours with standard irradiation and no shading.
- thedrbrian 4y ago
  >Let's say that truck roof covers about 41.5m² (the area of a standard 53' x 8.5' trailer roof). Let's further assume that 41m² of that is covered with PV panels. Using current technology (~21% efficiency silicon cells) and assuming standard irradiation of 1000W/m² this roof would produce ~200W/m² for a total of ~8.2kW. Add a 40' trailer (~31.5m² roof area, ~6.2kW) for a total of ~14.4kW. So you're now pulling two trailers but using the watts/km for one. Also your panels will be fixed to the roof and not tracking the sun. you aren't going to get near 30% for them.
  - Retric 4y ago
    First you can cover the truck and actual trailer with panels just fine. Intermodal shipping containers are designed to be stacked and include heavy duty attachment points. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodal_container#/media/File:Container_twistlock_connector.agr.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodal_container#/media/Fi... Second, you aren’t limited to the top of a vehicle, covering the sides is viable and makes up for the sun not being directly overhead.
  - the_third_wave 4y ago
    This depends on the load and on the veracity of the data given by Tesla. A load of styrofoam - which is used in construction, just look what goes under the on- and off-ramps of bridges - doesn't weigh all that much after all. Also, this was not an attempt at with 100% accuracy calculating the range effects of PV panels on the roof - notice the liberal use of the '~' sign and the fact that nearly everything is approximated and rounded down. Did you not notice?