Solar power is becoming competitive!

[ISV Venture Star]

Solar is Ready Now: ‘Ferocious Cost Reductions’ Make Solar PV Competitive | ThinkProgress

So what does all this mean? It means that the notion that “solar is too expensive” doesn’t hold up anymore. When financing providers can offer a home or business owner solar electricity for less than the cost of their current services; when utilities start investing in solar themselves to reduce operating costs; and when the technology starts moving into the range of new nuclear and new coal, it’s impossible to ignore.

[Advent]

Lovely.

[applejuice]

Sounds good, but. unfortunately, the aggressive cost reduction might be shadowed due a higher demand, and who makes the most out of it? The intermediate.

[Tsyal Makto]

I wouldn't worry too much, applejuice, preventing a bubble is just a matter of careful investments.

This is good to know. It's time more countries did a German-style subsidy program, it did wonders for them (they even had to cut subsidies recently to prevent over-inflation/bubbles, just goes to show how fertile this market is). Time to answer this demand IMO (and provide incentives to increase it), and push back against the myths about solar pushed by the current energy status quo. Solar also produces more jobs than the other sources cited in that article, which provides another general stimulus to the economy as well.

[Raiden]

That's great.

Maybe now the retards that run Brazil will do something other than burn everything in sight.

[ISV Venture Star]

This kind of thing is the reason I'm merely left-leaning/social democrat in outlook rather than a true socialist. It's the one thing capitalism does well. I just wish there were more effective ways of harnessing the 'good bits' of competitiveness/entrepreneurship within the framework of a democratic, accountable government system with the best interests of the people in mind.

[applejuice]

Exactly, correctly managed there won't be any bubble. Sooner than I expected, we can get rid of the Electric Co. for our electricity consumption. It would be great that most homes in the world had self sustainable power, at least in what electric power concerns. Once people realize the convenience of such systems, the development of self sustainable power will be boosted, probably in a exponential growth.

[ISV Venture Star]

Had a sort of epiphany on this subject just now. Will post more later. A synthesis of state direction and competition for the long-term good of Earth and humanity.

[Drewan]

Good to hear!!! I've been solar for 10 years now (subsidy from Bonneville Energy Trust back in early 2001) & our system is still going strong. 3.5KW per hour system---we get between 18 to 21 daily in mid-spring to early fall. I get a laugh from neighbors when I'm mowing with the electric lawn mower---plugged into the solar array (nice to not use a smelly gas mower)....

As soon as we redo our roof I'm installing another 1.5 to 2 KW--we'll be about 0 dollar usage with 5 to 5.5KW total.

[Fosus]

Renewable energy will only get cheaper over time. Fossils can only become more expensive as we run out of them. Simple.

[Human No More]

Good to hear , but there's still need for a way to actually store useful quantifies of grid electricity...
On the other hand, as ISV pointed out, this is an example of how capitalism works, by driving innovation.

Originally Posted by Fosus

Renewable energy will only get cheaper over time. Fossils can only become more expensive as we run out of them. Simple.

That doesn't inherently make it cheaper, just cheaper in comparison. In this case the actual price is falling, but a drop in fossil fuel capacity doesn't automatically improve price per KWh of solar. In this case, solar is becoming cheaper compared to fossil due to advances in the production of it and not due to supply/demand of the latter.

[Fosus]

Originally Posted by Human No More

That doesn't inherently make it cheaper, just cheaper in comparison.

No. Renewable energy will get cheaper because of technological advancement.

They will indeed be cheaper in comparison to fossils as well, which will further accelerate their development. Like I said, they'll only get cheaper because one can't run out of them (in a million years for starters).

It's just logic. Needs no studies to understand but here's one about solar power anyway (Ignore the nuclear power part of it):

http://www.ncwarn.org/wp-content/upl...ort_final1.pdf