Comments on: Why don’t more people use solar energy?

By: Carnac

Carnac — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:06:59 +0000

The article you reference answers your question. Utility energy is still far cheaper and waaaaaay more dependable.
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By: Wattsup!

Wattsup! — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:34:59 +0000

Why are people always stuck on those stupid @ss solar panels???????????? it does not cost a lot to eliminate high wattage appliances in the home!!! Face it mostly you need hot water. easily and cheaply accomplished with solar. Its called batch heating. look it up. learn something. SO WHAT it doesnt work all the time but it does work. You can cook also by solar. and you can dry clothes. with a heat exchanger you can warm your house. Bout the only thing you need electricity for is technical items like low wattage tvs and computers and CF lighting. Really quit being lazy and blind. Or put another way, wake the F@#K up. My lowest electric bill was $22 spring. highest $75 in the winter. So dont tell me it cant be done. And it didnt cost me anything to do it. alright about 20 bucks. This solar panel, got to have it or it will never work sh!t is ridiculous. You dont have to totally switch over to solar electricity, just get around it.
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me and my cheap @ss

By: ideamanbmg

ideamanbmg — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:15:59 +0000

Expensive to implement, not enough power to be worth a major investment. You said the secret words~"on sunny days". Rest of the time, not enough power.
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By: John Cyrille

John Cyrille — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:45:59 +0000

First of all, solar panels are quite expensive. Second, it is so because its hard to make one. Last, it generates low amounts of electricity.
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By: Jack A

Jack A — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:32:59 +0000

There is only ONE answer! COST per unit of power! Compared to the energy we can extract from coal or petroleum products– (i.e. oil, gas, gasoline) or falling water–the cost of making the photocells and displaying and maintaining those fragile (relative to boilers or refineries or dams and generators) cells for the very small unit of power that they can currently collect and convert to electricity (relative to a pint of oil or pound of coal or cubic foot of water) is close to a magnitude (factor of 10) greater. Twenty years ago the difference was a factor of 20 so it’s getting better. As we run out of the cheaper power sources their UNIT cost(s) will increase. We will continue to reduce the photo-cell elemental cost(s) and increase their performance(s) and, someday, the cost graphs will cross over. But that day is not here yet! The same situation applies to vehicular (cars and trucks) power– nothing, presently, has a better UNIT cost per BTU of power, than gasoline- even if the price of a gallon of gasoline were to raise to $10.00 (U.S.A. dollars) per gallon!
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By: itsme2003

itsme2003 — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:51:59 +0000

funny i was wondering that the other day. its mostly the initial expense. i tell ya what though.the "tree hugging" celebrities and millionaires dont have any excuses for not having solar power in their houses.its way too costly for the average joe to have it.we're talking in the 5 figure range.if i had the means i would certainly install solar panels. windmills too.
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