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Re: Basic Choices and Constraints on Long-Term Energy Supplies



I'm not sure what the cost of PV material is in bulk, but current
commercial panels ARE NOT cost effective (at $4 or more per KW). Then
there is the 20-25 year lifetime of the panels--versus 60 years plus for
nuclear or coal generated electrical plants. But all that aside, calculate
the AREA needed to supply the world's current (or better yet projected 2-3x
current) TOTAL energy demand and see if that is reasonable. Reasonable
just in terms of producing that much PV material!

Rick


****************************
Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

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As for part (b), the last time I did the calculations,
http://www.av8n.com/physics/energy-reserves.html
the cost of solar-generated electricity was already
very nearly competitive on the wholesale market, so if
fuel costs went up (and were expected to stay up) the
teeter-totter would flip rather dramatically toward
solar ... and would stay flipped forever more.