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Forum Post: Solar Power Failing World Wide

Posted 10 years ago on July 3, 2013, 8:48 p.m. EST by Stormcrow2 (-184)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

So if Solar is so great why is this happening? Why is it that in California the solar panels covering a vast warehouse roof in the sun-soaked Inland Empire region east of Los Angeles were only two years into their expected 25-year life span when they began to fail.

Coatings that protect the panels disintegrated while other defects caused two fires that took the system offline for two years, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenues.

It was not an isolated incident. Worldwide, testing labs, developers, financiers and insurers are reporting similar problems and say the $77 billion solar industry is facing a quality crisis just as solar panels are on the verge of widespread adoption. …

The quality concerns have emerged just after a surge in solar construction. In the United States, the Solar Energy Industries Association said that solar panel generating capacity exploded from 83 megawatts in 2003 to 7,266 megawatts in 2012, enough to power more than 1.2 million homes. Nearly half that capacity was installed in 2012 alone, meaning any significant problems may not become apparent for years. …

The List of Deceased Solar Companies

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Rest-in-Peace-The-List-of-Deceased-Solar-Companies

22 Comments

22 Comments


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[-] 3 points by bensdad (8977) 10 years ago

shall we take bets?
stormcrow2 works for BP
stormcrow2 works for Exxon
stormcrow2 works for alec

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[-] 2 points by DebtSUSPENSIONRights (181) 10 years ago

I agree with DKA, what is the conclusion? That solar can't work? Of course solar can work. In a desert area of California they have installed a huge array of mirrors that basically boil water that turns turbines, and apparently it does create energy, a lot of it.

I am not surprised that the sun beating down on a thin layer will burn it up, that actually is the problem the entire planet is facing.

Whether it's global warming, or simply a collapse of the ozone layer that is causing more ultraviolet rays to reach the earth's surface, it's a problem.

On top of that, the idea that petroleum is going to be here forever is ludicrous, so REDUCING the CONSUMPTION of OIL is ESSENTIAL even if there was no global warming or ozone layer depletion.

[-] 0 points by Stormcrow2 (-184) 10 years ago

Hell, it was 73 degrees in Atlanta today when it should be around 90 degrees or so - wonder what's going with that?

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[-] -1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

AHhhhh now ya did it - the climate change deniers will be all over you now.

[-] 1 points by DebtSUSPENSIONRights (181) 10 years ago

Here is a link to what are known as "solar towers" that use mirrors to redirect the suns rays and boil water into steam which turns turbines. The cost for this project is within coal and nuclear cost specs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivanpah_Solar_Power_Facility

[-] 0 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

BTW - Interesting article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivanpah_Solar_Power_Facility - thanks.

I've gotta wonder if they tied Liquid Metal Batteries into the distribution end - if they would improve the process - storage to distribution - at night stored energy distribution - day time let the demand draw off of the battery as well ( less power loss ? then if it was direct feed from the turbine to the carrier wires ? ).

http://t.co/r8oTiD6akk

[-] 1 points by DebtSUSPENSIONRights (181) 10 years ago

I think batteries are in and of themselves a conundrum. The idea of storing solar power excess is great, but the cost to make the batteries??? Maybe if the batteries are really large, the costs go down?

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

Watch the doc - these are huge batteries it talks about. Made from common ( dirt cheap ) elements.

[-] 0 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

You don't need to convince me - I have seen these projects before.

[-] 0 points by DebtSUSPENSIONRights (181) 10 years ago

If solar towers work, the irony could become that local solar power may not be as feasible as using the deserts. However, in Germany, localized solar program seems to be working very well.

[-] 0 points by forourfutures (393) 10 years ago

Conservation works better than solar or wind for making energy available. Corporations do not want it.

Let us take their rights away.

[-] 2 points by DebtSUSPENSIONRights (181) 10 years ago

Yes and no. If petroleum conservation were truly being done, then a better effort could be made to make solar and wind technologies more efficient and durable. Instead the pressure is on to get it right, get it great, and get it done quick. Petroleum has gone through a huge research curve to be the king of the energy hill, but petro advocates won't allow that same slack for alternative energy.

[-] 3 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 10 years ago

competition is killing competition

[-] 0 points by DebtSUSPENSIONRights (181) 10 years ago

lol, good one.

[-] 1 points by forourfutures (393) 10 years ago

Yes, if we willfully used less, corps would make more cheaper alternatives for us. But we really have to be unified to make it work.

The intent behind energy monopoly is seen early with the conspiracy to make Los Angeles auto dependent as seen in "Who framed rodger rabbit". It is worse than we think. We now have a false negative need, oil.

[-] 1 points by DebtSUSPENSIONRights (181) 10 years ago

I think the plan now is to let everybody enjoy the "luxuries" that we do have until such time that 80 to 90% of the population has to be wiped out because of real energy shortages.

[-] 1 points by forourfutures (393) 10 years ago

Or, get the 99% addicted to comfort and convenience, give them a chance to forget what it takes to be independent and learning all the skills corporate workers need instead.

[-] 1 points by DebtSUSPENSIONRights (181) 10 years ago

yes, both.

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 10 years ago

doom

[-] 2 points by DebtSUSPENSIONRights (181) 10 years ago

I call it, Ride it off the rails, but hold on as long as possible before doing so. The idea of slowing down and pondering, just does not seem like an option at this point for the "decision makers" of the world.

[-] 1 points by MattLHolck (16833) from San Diego, CA 10 years ago

I have lived longer then I could have imagined

[-] 0 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 10 years ago

I left a comment to the article:

What exactly is the point of your article?

This is Greentech media?

What is the point you are trying to make? What is the message? To what end?

Think about it and return when you have a story - with a beginning middle and end.

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