Another PV ERoEI debacle May 17, 2016
Posted by Maury Markowitz in balonium, solar.Tags: bolognium, solar power
34 comments
Your face should have this expression when you read Ferroni and Hopkirk’s paper.
A recent report by Ferroni and Hopkirk explores the energy balance of solar power, and concludes that using PV is energy negative. That is, building PV requires more energy than the panel will produce over its lifetime.
Claims like these pop up from time to time, and normally end up being based on definitional tricks on the part of the authors. This example is no different in that respect, but in this case they also add a liberal dose of bad data.
The paper is so filled with errors and omissions that’s it’s almost breathtaking. Once again, dear reader, it’s time for the deep dive.
Electric cars and particulate pollution May 15, 2016
Posted by Maury Markowitz in Uncategorized.add a comment
You think it’s bad now? It is.
The latest bit of news-mongering in the electric car world hit the press a few days ago, a new report noting that emissions from EVs are no better, and perhaps worse, than from normal cars. And because of that, they will cause just as much pollution and related health problems.
Well, at least that’s the way 3rd party news outlets reported it. If this is starting to sound familiar, that’s because it is. The original paper’s conclusions are quite a bit at odds with the conclusions being suggested by the news blogs.
Solar at 2.99 cents/kWh May 5, 2016
Posted by Maury Markowitz in Uncategorized.Tags: grid parity, LCoE, solar power
add a comment
Down, down, and away!
I guess this is starting to sound a little repetitive, but yet another record has been set for solar PV – at a whopping 2.99 cents/kWh, well down into the range of unfiltered coal plants or high-quality hydro. Now again, this is in Dubai, which tends to be sunny, but, again, that’s like complaining we built hydro where there’s a river.
Now you might want to dismiss this number because it’s Dubai. But only last month another contract was signed at 3.45/kWh in Mexico, and it was only a few months ago that everyone was stunned by the Saudi and Nevada numbers at 5.85. That means the price has fallen almost 50% in the last year.
Now whether this is simply because of a temporary oversupply situation in China I can’t say, but it doesn’t make a difference. Solar is now cheaper than coal, and from here out, always will be. Welcome to that future everyone was talking about in the 70’s.
Energy Matters 