Subject	Average US Solar flux is 2.6 W/M^2
Posted by	Sonar on January 30, 2006 at 4:25 PM
	This message has been viewed 66 times.
In Reply To	We need to work on solar power. posted by Kenny on January 30, 2006 at 03:15 PM
Message	2.6W/M^2 means that to power a 100W lightbulb you'd need a photovoltaic cell that was 38.4M^2 if it was 100% efficient. Since the best units are now only 30% efficient you need one 128.2m^2 or roughly 37' X 37' for your lightbulb. To power a 6000 watt household A/C unit you need a solar collector sized at 7692M^2 or 287' X 287' - a collector larger than most home's lots. The average meter square collector costs about $100 meaning that to power just your A/C you will need to spend $769,200 up front. Does that seem practical to you? Note: You may see some data describing *Thermal* Flux from the sun at 1500W/M^2. We can't use that to make power. Not only would trying be incredibly inefficient, if we stole that energy we'd be in a deep freeze.
Follow Ups	Ethanol fuel in the news on CNBC TV @ 4pm EST - WildBillZx 14:30:00 01/30/06 Died in the 80's? You might want to inform Brazil of that. - Spee 14:35:56 01/30/06 I know, its already here. - WildBillZx 14:45:26 01/30/06 I heard it takes more energy to create ethanol than - AzHeat 14:44:53 01/30/06 I've heard the same. Its benefit will be that it might be - Zirvana 14:57:21 01/30/06 which will be LOOOONG after we're gone. (n/m) - Spee 15:00:11 01/30/06 It takes takes more fossil fuel to produce ethanol - mattztt 15:00:47 01/30/06 Wall St Journal last week did an article... - Technomancer 15:16:27 01/30/06 You forgot the government subsidy part. (n/m) - Kenny 15:19:48 01/30/06 Actually, I don't remember anything about a subsidy (n/m) - Technomancer 15:26:49 01/30/06 $10+ billion in ethanol subsidies since 1980. - Kenny 15:29:11 01/30/06 More accurately,40Billion+ in corn subsidies in last 10 year - whatsthegoodword 17:00:22 01/30/06 Plus, this is why you have to go to Mexico to get your coke. - whatsthegoodword 17:01:39 01/30/06 I'm talking the future, not dwelling on the past. (n/m) - Technomancer 09:50:02 01/31/06 I read that article too. Local cattle farmers in Texas have - Zirvana 15:59:44 01/30/06 not really - wilkendw 15:42:08 01/30/06 One by-product of ethanol production around here is a - Zirvana 16:06:28 01/30/06 Growing and harvesting is what uses energy - mattztt 16:20:03 01/30/06 We need to work on solar power. - Kenny 15:15:23 01/30/06 Nuclear is the only way forward right now, methinks. - Technomancer 15:25:43 01/30/06 The waste is a bit of a problem... - Kenny 15:34:28 01/30/06 We can fire the waste into the sun! (n/m) - johnnysombrero 15:38:31 01/30/06 Fantastic idea. - Kenny 15:42:46 01/30/06 Actually ... - NytWolf 15:48:52 01/30/06 That doesn't absolve their responsibility. - Kenny 15:57:41 01/30/06 Is this a shuttle forum? (n/m) - ssm300z 16:30:36 01/30/06 You can read all about that on snopes.com - Dustin 17:13:43 01/30/06 Interesting, I heard them talking about it on talk radio (n/m) - NytWolf 18:07:05 01/30/06 my thoughts exactly!! (n/m) - apudapus 02:11:39 01/31/06 MY question on that has always been, ..... - Ash's Z 18:07:13 01/30/06 They are trying to do that by burying the stuff under a - Technomancer 09:55:45 01/31/06 Nuclear technology is far safer than it was in the 80's - WildBillZx 16:51:29 01/30/06 Average US Solar flux is 2.6 W/M^2 - Sonar 16:25:15 01/30/06 These folks are doing OK. - mattztt 16:39:17 01/30/06 With a back up generator and crystalline PVs - Sonar 16:50:01 01/30/06 I don't think that figure is quite right. - Kenny 16:47:00 01/30/06 Yup. They use thermal flux and/or peak output. - Sonar 16:53:53 01/30/06 Good information. - Kenny 16:57:05 01/30/06 Use of quantum dot solar cells will get the price to less - Zirvana 16:48:08 01/30/06 You're completely leaving out the element of time - Dustin 17:21:41 01/30/06 Hydroelectric is simply the best for energy. - Chase86 16:51:22 01/30/06
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