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Solar Just Hit a Record Low Price in the U.S

earther.com

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Re: Solar Just Hit a Record Low Price in the U.S

#11

Post by rb808 »

There is an interesting part about solar generating electricity when its sunny - it will help population move to warmer climes. If you live in Ohio heating in winter is a problem, solar isn't going to keep you warm on a cold night (ok batteries can help but they're expensive). If you live in the South West though its perfect as Winter nights dont require much heat and the biggest loads are AC at the times when there is lots of sun.

Perhaps this will mean living in Southern California, Arizona etc will be increasingly popular as energy costs will be much more affordable. Of course water is the next problem, but cheap electricity can help that too.

Re: Solar Just Hit a Record Low Price in the U.S

#12

Post by taf2 »

kyoob wrote: post #8

This is truly good news, but is it really worth calling out that a record was broken when it's been trending down regularly over time?

It’s one of those rare feel good things that hasn’t been yet flooded by negative view points that often follow a wave of positive news... there is probably a name for this?

Re: Solar Just Hit a Record Low Price in the U.S

#13

Post by munk-a »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #9
kyoob wrote: post #8

This is truly good news, but is it really worth calling out that a record was broken when it's been trending down regularly over time?

Key milestone awareness is important. The more people who know the raw economics, the better choices that can be made.

This isn't a key milestone though, pretty much every week it breaks this record. That said the more headlines we can get about renewable energy the better, the recent moves to prop up coal are super disappointing.

Re: Solar Just Hit a Record Low Price in the U.S

#14

Post by stcredzero »

rb808 wrote: post #11

There is an interesting part about solar generating electricity when its sunny - it will help population move to warmer climes. If you live in Ohio heating in winter is a problem, solar isn't going to keep you warm on a cold night (ok batteries can help but they're expensive). If you live in the South West though its perfect as Winter nights dont require much heat and the biggest loads are AC at the times when there…

If you live in Ohio that is a problem, solar isn't going to keep you warm on a cold night

Houses built to the German Passivhaus standard would do just fine in Ohio. I used to live in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, so I should know. There was one Minnesota church built with polystyrene panels that had to start running air conditioning in the middle of winter, the insulation was so good.

If you live in the South West though its perfect as Winter nights dont require much heat and the biggest loads are AC at the times when there is lots of sun.

It can get pretty darn cold at night in the desert southwest. Again, insulation is the key.

Of course water is the next problem, but cheap electricity can help that too.

It's 10X as expensive to use techniques like desalinization. It's so much more expensive, that lots of desal plants get built, then get mothballed because it's that much cheaper to get water by other means.

Re: Solar Just Hit a Record Low Price in the U.S

#15

Post by zitterbewegung »

taf2 wrote: post #12
kyoob wrote: post #8

This is truly good news, but is it really worth calling out that a record was broken when it's been trending down regularly over time?

It’s one of those rare feel good things that hasn’t been yet flooded by negative view points that often follow a wave of positive news... there is probably a name for this?

Measurable technological advancement?

See also Moore's law.

Re: Solar Just Hit a Record Low Price in the U.S

#16

Post by sf_rob »

rb808 wrote: post #11

There is an interesting part about solar generating electricity when its sunny - it will help population move to warmer climes. If you live in Ohio heating in winter is a problem, solar isn't going to keep you warm on a cold night (ok batteries can help but they're expensive). If you live in the South West though its perfect as Winter nights dont require much heat and the biggest loads are AC at the times when there…

You could probably invest in a thermal mass hybrid HVAC system e.g. use solar during the day to heat or cool a large thermal mass (thick interior concrete wall/floor to whatever temperature you need it to be at night.

Re: Solar Just Hit a Record Low Price in the U.S

#18

Post by [deleted] »

munk-a wrote: post #13
toomuchtodo wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Key milestone awareness is important. The more people who know the raw economics, the better choices that can be made.

This isn't a key milestone though, pretty much every week it breaks this record. That said the more headlines we can get about renewable energy the better, the recent moves to prop up coal are super disappointing.

[deleted]

Re: Solar Just Hit a Record Low Price in the U.S

#20

Post by maxerickson »

sol_remmy wrote: post #19

I would not trust a source called "earther.com" to tell me good news about solar because they're clearly going to be biased. When power industry magazines talk about solar being cheap then i'll believe it

I live north of 45° and the city manager said in an article about the new solar farm that it's cheaper electricity than they can otherwise buy.
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