Solyndra

[itchyeyes]

Normally I ignore stories about "breakthrough" solar technology, as there seems to be a new one every 3-4 months and they never actually amount to anything. Today however, a story about a California startup caught my attention, first because it showed up in both Wired (http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/10/thin-film-solar.html) and Technology Review (http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/21473/), and both articles appear to be independently researched and written, without the usual "from the AP" markers. But more importantly is the mention that this is not a laboratory breakthrough, but an actual functioning company that already has a factory and $1.2 billion in sales. Could we finally be seeing the beginnings of affordable solar energy?

[Inspector Fowler]

One of the people I work with is getting ready to wire her house up for solar.

She doesn't have a storage solution, as those are very expensive. Instead, during the day while her panels make energy, she actually provides energy TO the power company as a credit on her bill. At night, she gets energy back from the power company.

It should drastically reduce her energy bill AND make her feel better about how "green" her power consumption is. Best part is that it doesn't even cover her entire garage roof. Pretty cool.

[Widgetcraft]

One of the people I work with is getting ready to wire her house up for solar.

She doesn't have a storage solution, as those are very expensive. Instead, during the day while her panels make energy, she actually provides energy TO the power company as a credit on her bill. At night, she gets energy back from the power company.

It should drastically reduce her energy bill AND make her feel better about how "green" her power consumption is. Best part is that it doesn't even cover her entire garage roof. Pretty cool.

How much is that going to cost her, and how much will it save her per month?

[That Darn Kat]

One of the people I work with is getting ready to wire her house up for solar.

She doesn't have a storage solution, as those are very expensive. Instead, during the day while her panels make energy, she actually provides energy TO the power company as a credit on her bill. At night, she gets energy back from the power company.

It should drastically reduce her energy bill AND make her feel better about how "green" her power consumption is. Best part is that it doesn't even cover her entire garage roof. Pretty cool.

Wow, I didn't even know programs like that existed. That sounds like a great way to start using solar power without a massive overhaul on your house or the way you live.

[sparkfizt]

How much is that going to cost her, and how much will it save her per month?

Any times I've tried to run the numbers it generally does'nt work out terribly well. The problem is generally the upfront cost takes a long time to get back. There's also the element of risk(hail). Profit wise right now you're usually better off just investing that money and paying higher power bills. Of course if you're in it for more than just the money, then that changes the equation. Of course this leads to another question, how long does the solar panel have to run to pay back the energy invested in creating the panel?

As solar improves it could eventually reach that magical tipping point, where it's actually a competitive investment. I'd also be curious as to what she plans to make (and more interested in what reality turns out to be).

[TheEpicOfTyler]

It is a sound investment if you live in a place with a lot of sunlight and lower risks of physical damage (I am not sure how well they hold up to hail like the above poster says). Solar panels for the most part are guaranteed 25 years of good use, but often go upwards of 40.

Real solar breakthrough? This (http://earth2tech.com/2008/07/31/mit-solar-energy-storage-breakthrough/) has the potential to change the way things work dynamically.