Doing a bit of research of my own, (my curiosity got the best of me!) I found that there are other materials with which to produce solar panels and that the cost is dropping.
I wouldn't give up on solar just yet.
Which Thin Film Solar Technology is the Best?
The article states:
quote:
So far Cadmium telluride is the first and only thin film photovoltaic technology to surpass crystalline silicon PV in price per watt of peak power, but this price advantage seems to be eroding as price of raw silicon has decreased and Chinese manufacturers increase their production of multi-crystalline panels.
There are some concerns about the future of Camium Telluride based panels, specifically the very limited availability of Telluride and increased concern in Europe about long-term toxic affects of Cadmium.
OK, look at coal. The cost includes the cost to run the coal trains, the cost to clean the atmosphere with scrubbers, the support of an entire Appalachian industry, etc etc.
Looks to me like solar is getting cheaper---and with proper technological advances, will eventually be as cost effective as the fossil fuels.
Chance as a real force is a myth. It has no basis in reality and no place in scientific inquiry. For science and philosophy to continue to advance in knowledge, chance must be demythologized once and for all. —RC Sproul
"A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." —Mark Twain
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