|
|
on December 5th, 2011% ![]()
When it comes to selecting solar cells for your do-it-yourself projects, one question many have is does solar cell efficiency matter? Answering that is actually quite simple.
The answer is yes, solar cell efficiency does matter. the important thing to note here is that it may not be for the same reasons you would think. It isn’t choosing the most efficient cells that matters the most, it’s balancing cost versus efficiency that will make all of the difference to the final price of your residential solar energy system.
Without getting into the different grades of solar cells, or talking about how you can save money by choosing grade B cells, let’s discuss how to correctly balance these two aspects of building a solar panel (or a number of them).
Solar Cell Efficiency in a Nutshell.
When it comes to choosing the right solar cells, my suggestion is always to stick with your standard polycrystalline cell. These types of cells are readily available on the do-it-yourself markets, and as far as efficiency is concerned most are rated at 16% – 20% efficiency. to translate that into a number that is more usable. a single 3 x 6 (80 mm by 150 mm) will produce 1.6 Watts to 2.0 Watts of power.
These are the best cells to use when building solar panels for one simple reason – cost. Your standard polycrystalline cell can be found for as little as $1.50 each (even less if you choose grade B cells) and they usually average around $1.80 on sites like eBay. Using this type of cell you can build a complete 100 Watt panel with about $85 worth of cells.
Where some confusion is beginning to appear is with the availability of 30% to 35% efficient solar cells. although these aren’t yet as common on the do-it-yourself markets, they are becoming available and some people are looking to increase the efficiency of their residential solar power system using these cells.
The problem isn’t that high-efficiency monocrystalline, or thin-film, cells don’t work. You can just as easily build a solar panel using this technology as you could with the older standard cells. the problem is the cost. with the new 30% efficient cells costing as much as five times more than a standard cell, they simply aren’t worth it. You pay five times more for only a 10% gain in power production.
If you had determined that you needed 10, 100Watt, solar panels to run your home, with the standard cells you could feasibly expect to build your panels with about $850 worth of cells. to build the same system in the with high-efficiency cells you’d still need 9 panels, and the cost of the cells would suddenly increase to about $3825.
So to answer our original question, yes solar cell efficiency matters. but not for the reason you probably thought; it’s balancing cost versus efficiency that will really make the difference when you convert your home to solar energy.
on December 4th, 2011% ![]()
Carson City, NV (OPENPRESS) December 2, 2011 – Carson City, NV – Today, Stockpick.pro reports on Sunbelt International (OTCBB:SUNB) Sunbelt International Inc. (OTCBB:SUNB), the progressive wind turbine solar panel hybrid company recently announced significant strides in achieving company growth goals and manufacturing. Stats released state that wind power is growing at the rate of 30% annually and solar production growth has averaged 40% per year since 2000. Helping with these growing figures is Federal subsidies which have been increase from $5.1 billion to $14.7 billion in the last 4 years. SUNB says this has a golden opportunity to see growth, as 2010 investment into renewable energy was over $200 billion and growing. to date, the company said feedback to Sunbelt International Inc. has been overwhelmingly positive. The company also recently announced in conjunction with the growth report that, Fang Soo Liu has also been appointed as President. As President, he will sit on the Board of Directors for the Company, effective immediately. For more info on this focus stock: stockpick.pro/focus-stock-sunb/ RAYSTREAM INC (OTC: RAYS): Raystream Inc. is bringing its proprietary video compression technology to businesses and consumers worldwide. Legend Oil and Gas Ltd (OTC: LOGL): Legend Oil and Gas, ltd. (Legend), formerly SIN Holdings, Inc., is an oil and gas exploration, development and production company. Urban Barns Foods Inc. (OTC:URBF) Urban Barns uses patent pending and proprietary equipment to produce affordable vegetables in a secure and controlled indoor environment. By setting up subsidiary facilities and growing locally, Urban Barns can focus on supplying any community, irrespective of the regional climate, effectively reducing shipping times and related spoilage costs AMWEST IMAGING INC (OTC:AMWI) Amwest Imaging Inc. (“AMWI”, or the “Company”) is a technology company whose primary business is providing relationship-building tools and processes that help any business cultivate profitable relationships with customers, all through web based solutions About Stockpick.pro Stockpick.pro – Penny Stocks Research Reports Investor Relations Stockpick.pro offers a newsletter covering value Stock companies traded on the OTC, OTCBB, PINKSHEETS and AMEX stock exchanges. Subscribers to our Stock Picks newsletter will receive up to date time sensitive press releases and profiles on featured companies traded on various small cap stock exchanges such as otc, otcbb, pinksheet and amex. other sectors we cover are: alternative energy stocks/companies (solar stocks, wind stocks, hydro stocks, nuclear stocks, uranium stocks, biofuel stocks, clean coal stocks) as well as oil and gas stocks, gold stocks and mining stocks. Penny Stock research reports and investor relations are provided by Stockpick.pro, visitors to our web site can sign up for our penny stock newsletter and be updated when we begin coverage on new small cap companies. Penny Stocks trade in the Small Cap Market being informed is a critical component to making decisions when Investing. Penny Stock coverage is what Stockpick.pro covers and strives to keep you updated on companies looking to move ahead of the pack, giving you the best penny stock information. Sign up today and stay informed allow Stockpicks.pro to provide you with the latest research reports on hot penny stocks and Stock Tips. Stockpick.pro, is owned by Stock Point LLC Stock Point LLC delivers a broad spectrum of services designed to meet your goals and fit your budget. they include: Search Engine Optimization, Email Campaigns, Financial News Distribution and Media Exposure, CEO Interviews, Analyst Reports, Investment Opinion Services, Web Design and Development, Audio & Video Profiles and Shareholder Communications. Disclaimer: Stockpick.pro is owned and operated by Stock Point LLC. Verify all claims and do your own due diligence. Stock Point LLC profiles are not a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. Stock Point LLC is not offering securities for sale. an offer to buy or sell can be made only with accompanying disclosure documents and only in the states and provinces for which they are approved. All statements and expressions are the sole opinion of the editor and are subject to change without notice. Stock Point LLC is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. it is strongly recommended that any purchase or sale decision be discussed with a financial adviser, or a broker-dealer, or a member of any financial regulatory bodies. The information contained herein has been provided as an information service only. The accuracy or completeness of the information is not warranted and is only as reliable as the sources from which it was obtained. it should be understood there is no guarantee that past performance will be indicative of future results. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment in this or any other company. In order to be in full compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, Section 17(b), Stockpick.pro is owned and operated by Stock Point LLC. Stock Point LLC has been compensated by Equity Alliance: fifty thousand dollars for one month of investor relations services for SUNB.Neither Stock Point LLC nor any of its affiliates, or employees shall be liable to you or anyone else for any loss or damages from use of this e-mail, caused in whole or part by its negligence or contingencies beyond its control in procuring, compiling, interpreting, reporting, or delivering this Web Site or e-mail and any contents. since Stock Point LLC receives compensation and its employees or members of their families may hold stock in the profiled companies, there is an inherent conflict of interest in Stock Point LLC statements and opinions and such statements and opinions cannot be considered independent. Stock Point LLC and its management may benefit from any increase in the share prices of the profiled companies. Information contained herein contains “forward looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, goals, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical facts and may be “forward looking statements”. forward looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections at the time the statements are made that involve a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those presently anticipated. Stock Point LLC services are often paid for using free-trading shares. Stock Point LLC may be selling shares of stock at the same time the profile is being disseminated to potential investors; this should be viewed as a definite conflict of interest and as such, the reader should take this into consideration. Growth stock tips and small-cap stock newsletter! () 2010 Stockpick.pro All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer Email: Source: Sunbelt International to Utilize Growing Demand for Green Energy
###Professional Free Press Release News Wire
Contact Info
I-Newswire
Phone: 201-724-2391
E-mail: Click Here to Send
Web site: i-newswire.com
372 Wildrose Ave. Bergenfield, NJ 07621
Release Information
Industry: Business, more Press Releases from Business
Country: United States, more Press Releases from United States
MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area): ALL REGIONS (Including International), more Press Releases from ALL REGIONS (Including International)
Company: Stockpick.pro
Web site: Visit our web site
Back to listing
on December 4th, 2011% ![]()
A new way of manufacturing printable organic solar cells could eventually lead to new kinds of low-cost, cheap, and flexible solar panels.
The work is being led by Alan Heeger and Guillermo Bazan, both professors of chemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Heeger shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 for developing the kind of conductive polymers that are already used to make plastic solar cells and organic light-emitting diodes.
Polymer solar cells are inefficient compared to silicon solar cells, but they are much cheaper to make. Organic materials—whether made of polymers or so-called “small molecules,” which are organic compounds with a low molecular weight—can be made into inks and printed over large areas. They’re also lightweight and flexible, which makes them promising for applications like rooftop installations or solar-cell patches for charging portable electronics.
Using a new small molecule designed by Bazan, Heeger built a solar cell that converts 6.7 percent of the light energy that strikes it into electricity. Bazan expects to reach 9 percent efficiency within a year. although efficiencies in lab tests tend to be much greater than those in a manufactured cell, this would put these materials on par with the best polymer solar cells on the market.
Until now, most efforts to improve the performance and cost of organic solar cells have focused on developing new polymer materials.
Bazan used a combination of theory and trial-and-error to develop the new small molecule material. he started by optimizing its electrical properties, so that the molecule would be able to support the high current and voltage needed to get power out of a solar cell. It’s especially tricky to create a small-molecule material that makes a good film; while polymers are long and get tangled into a stable film, small molecules don’t tend to make the kind of planar films needed to make a layer in a solar cell.
After a lot of tinkering on the lab bench, Bazan’s group came up with a suitable small molecule and process for making a high-efficiency small-molecule solar cell. the work is described in the journal Nature Materials. Bazan expects to further improve the performance by tailoring the design of the materials.
Heeger says he had not taken small-molecule solar materials seriously in the past because the performance was dismal. “Other people have utilized small molecules, but the performance was far below that of polymers,” he says.
Still, it may be hard for organic solar cells to become real contenders in the energy market, especially when silicon cells are getting cheaper. “The performance and lifetimes are not there yet,” says Yang Yang, professor of materials science and engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles. Yang is working on polymer solar materials at his company, Solarmer, as well as small-molecule solar cells in his academic lab; his goal is 15 percent efficiency in a lab-made cell. But Yang says the Santa Barbara work is an important demonstration of the potential of small-molecule solar.
As for how these materials will fare in the market, Heeger says, “it’s too soon to know,” but he believes that the efficiencies have reached a respectable level and that these solar materials show promise. “Now we should take them seriously,” he says.
on December 2nd, 2011% ![]()
- Home
- » Featured » What a Solar Installer looks for Before He’ll Take your Business
The solar industry, as contracting trades go, is relatively new. Solar PV installers have a reputation to uphold — not just for their own business, but to preserve solar’s “good name.” a recent study showed that more people love solar energy than love puppies. You can’t beat that popularity rating! but if solar installers went around trying to rip people off or make a quick buck, the industry would lose credibility and solar would be less lovable, even though it would still be the best thing for the environment and our planet’s future.
When you hire a solar installer, remember, he should be on your side. and that might, in some very rare cases, mean he’ll tell you that he wouldn’t recommend solar energy for your home. Here are three things a solar installer will look at before he’ll let you hire him.
1. The age of your roof. Typically, a roof that’s been on your house longer than 10 years is considered “old.” since solar panels last about 35 years before losing efficiency to the point that they need to be replaced, you don’t want your solar panels to outlast your roof (which usually has a 40- or 45-year lifespan.) but, that doesn’t mean solar installers turn down customers just because their roof is old. many installers will work with you to roll the costs of the roof into the costs of your solar PV array so you can finance it all. others may offer the roof for free. Either way, you’ll save money on your electric bills, and you won’t have to worry about leaks, either.
2. The number of layers on your roof. By law, you’re only permitted three layers of roofing shingle. since it’s a lot cheaper to toss new shingles over the old ones, the first time a house needs a new roof, it often just gets a second layer. Because of the weight of the solar panels, a single layer of roofing is recommended, and an installer won’t install solar panels as a third layer. again, that doesn’t mean the end of your solar dreams. Talk to the installer about working with you on the cost of the roof.
3. If there’s not enough south-, east- or west-facing real estate on your roof to fit an effective solar PV array. an average size array is about 4 or 5 kW; any less than that, and you risk not making back the return on your investment. If your roof has a lot of odd peaks and turrets so there’s not much room to place solar panels, your installer may suggest a ground-mounted array, a garage-mounted array, a solar awning or some other option. If he doesn’t, ask him about it!
4. your house has too much shade. Of the various scenarios we’ve described, this is the least likely. but if you are out in the deep woods, completely surrounded by shade, solar energy just won’t work for you. Houses with trees around them, homes and apartments in the city, homes facing large buildings will most likely have enough sunlight during enough of the day to make a solar PV array worthwhile. a device called a solar pathfinder can let your solar installer know for sure if you’re a good candidate to save money with solar.
on December 2nd, 2011% ![]()
When installing a new residential solar panel energy system for your home, you should do a site analysis of your home and a projected analysis of you power needs for the future. both of these are very important in order to arrive at the best system for you home.
In a site analysis, the location of your home is very important. It’s best to have a home where the roof contains a Southern or better yet a Southwestern facing direction. also you want to have a roof that is in good condition with a longer life span. a roof that is in poor condition and needs to be replaced soon is not a good candidate for a roof mounted solar panel energy system. the cost of removing the solar system off the roof to replace the existing roof is an added expense that reduces your return on investment for the solar energy system.
Also look at your landscaping. Do you have trees that might interfere with sun hitting your installed panels on the roof? Will any trees grow up to the point of interfering with the sun hitting your panels? also check for any neighbor’ trees or possible buildings that may be constructed in the foreseeable future that might cause problems for your solar system.
The second part of your analysis is to determine your power needs. Do you plan on having more kids in the near future. Remember the more people who live in a house, the more power that will be consumed. also do you plan on buying any major power consuming devices in the near future. the newer digital TV flat screens are big power users in a home. the bigger the screen the more power it requires. also do you plan on buying a hybrid car in the future? They need to be plugged into your power grid each night to re-charge the batteries, which will consume more of your available power.
These are just some of the items that need to be addressed in planning your residential solar panel energy system for your home.
on November 29th, 2011% ![]()
U.S. scientists with new ideas contrary to traditional scientific research, with the gallium arsenide to produce the highest conversion efficiency of 28.4% of the thin-film solar cells. The key to solar cell efficiency is not allowed to absorb more photons but allowed to release more photons, the future made with gallium arsenide solar cells conversion efficiency record is expected to exceed the limit. in the past, scientists emphasized by increasing the number of photons absorbed solar energy to improve the efficiency of solar cells.IC supplier Solar cells absorb sunlight resulting from the electron to be extracted as electricity, and those who were not fast enough to extract the electrons decay and release their energy. U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists Nuowei Qi led research suggests that if the energy released as the external fluorescence emitted, solar cell output voltage will increase. Lease said: “Our research shows that the efficiency of solar cells,microchip the higher the release of photons, the energy conversion efficiency and provide higher voltage External fluorescent solar cell conversion efficiency is the theoretical maximum – Shockley Kui Seer limit the efficiency of the key for a single pn junction solar cells, the maximum value of about 33.5%. ” Owen Miller, who participated in the study explained, in the open environment, solar cells, electronic nowhere to go, densely crowded together will be the ideal situation is that they emit an external fluorescence, precisely balances the incident sunlight . Based on this, by the co-founder of Alta lease equipment lease companies use early development of single-crystal thin-film technology – epitaxial layer lift-off, with the gallium arsenide to produce the highest conversion efficiency of 28.4% of the thin-film solar the battery. microchip pic this battery not only broke the previous conversion efficiency, the cost is also lower than other solar cells. currently the most efficient commercial solar cell manufactured by the silicon round, the maximum conversion efficiency of 23%. although gallium arsenide expensive than silicon, but more efficient photon collection. The cost, the GaAs is an ideal material for solar cells.
Tags: TI(texas instruments)
on November 29th, 2011% ![]()
If you need a reply towards concern: what exactly is solar power? you can present the idea to your account instantly. Lightly, solar power is a vitality popping through the sunlight or perhaps, to become a lot more unique through sunlight. To get them diversely, your sun’s rays tend to be filled together with vigor, and that is precisely the vigor of which we have to stay in addition to complete many measures with this globe
Should you be warn, you are going to be aware that sunshine vitality is actually almost everywhere. The sunlight can handle your development with plant life. Them heats diverse emplacements. Your middle solar celeb may differ this heat involving nations as well as districts and also generates blowing wind. The sunlight offers starting point towards ocean’s lake also.
It’s relatively odd the sunlight may a great deal of in addition to many of us seldom contemplate it. It is additionally genuine any time individuals request, what the heck is power from the sun?, most talk about the way solar panel technology specialists can pick your sun’s power as well as change it directly into an element that many of us mankind can easily implement. for most it can be tough to think which solar energy is usually as robust while additional recycleables.
What exactly is solar power useful for, and then? perfectly, benefits of solar power is undoubtedly an power source you can use for every power require. for example, you may use solar panel systems to amass power from the sun that is definitely subsequently converted in vigor efficient at heating system a complete property, decorating an individual by using plenty of electric power plus gasoline to the automobile a person push on a daily basis. Power from the sun possesses a lot of areas as well as presents itself in several types, mainly because it is usually turned from kind to a different one.
May power from the sun possess any kind of constraints? In the first place, direct sunlight does well regularly along with completely. Plus we’ve got solar power systems since the means to fix cloudy nights and also darker days to weeks. That they acquire the required solar power for any when the sunlight won’t glow from the atmosphere.
The sunlight is actually a highly effective cause of vitality. we should look at a selected illustration for you to recognize precisely the electrical power on the solar. Following merely 20 or so times with the sun this accrued solar powered energy would likely go beyond this totality of all of the current vigor stores with gas, essential oil and also fossil fuel in the Globe. on midday, this sunshine means somewhere around 1000 w every sq meter.
Precisely what is solar powered energy to the loved ones? To start with, you should think of the particular level of your improvements you would want to complete. The power of sunshine the complete dwelling or merely an element of them? Frequently, the first thing would be to obtain as well as mount solar power systems
Usually solarpanels models let you change this built up power straight into solar intended for household, which is, an electric recent that can be used. upon having a person’s autonomous power from the sun age group technique you certainly to be able to depend upon others, you don’t get in touch for the area grid
In case a good friend requests people right now: solar energy europe?, we could provide a obvious remedy. It’s the constant vigor which the solar communicates available and the grows to the full globe. It’s quite likely, it’ll be the into the future since it can simply no injury to the community
on November 28th, 2011% ![]()
There are a vast number of environmentally conscious people from all walks of life who have different reasons for being passionate about this subject. some want to save on energy costs and plan to do so by installing solar roofing panels to produce energy and generate electric power for commercial buildings. with the latest advances and innovations in roofing technology that promote efficiency and sustainability, the implementation of solar roofing products offers a great money-saving opportunity for business owners.
For many years, the conventional method for solar panels was the installation of thick crystalline panels on top of the existing roofing materials, which increased the chance of premature leakage. with the technological evolution of these materials, new and lighter weight panels contain embedded solar cells. another advance in this type of roofing was the integration of photovoltaic products. both of these new materials deliver a greater amount of energy and offer lower installation costs which equates to large savings in a company’s monthly expenses.
Types of Technology
There are two different types of this technology available based upon how light is transformed into different kinds of usable energy. The first method of technology is the actual passive and active solar power, while the latter are systems widely used today such as thermal, photovoltaic, and a concentrated solar power source.
Light Transformation
- Passive - This type of technology does not use any electrical or mechanical devices to transform usable heat. Examples of this are the use of south-facing windows, interior walls, and tile floors to harness, store, and distribute heat radiation.
- Active - This type of technology is employed using mechanical devices to collect, store, and distribute heat energy. The electricity generated is used for cooling and heating purposes. Examples of this are water heating systems, fans to circulate fluid, and solar collectors.
Widely-Used Systems
- Solar Thermal Energy – Radiant light can be transformed into heat. This is widely used to off-set some of the utility costs for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. In addition, it is effective in heating swimming pools in either residential or commercial buildings.
- Photovoltaic Power – This is a technology that transforms the sun’s radiation into usable electrical power using photoelectric cells or semi-conductors. It has a wide array of applications such as electricity for pumping water, communication gadgets, lighting, and appliances.
- Concentrated Power - This technology uses mirrors or lenses to focus a large area of the sun’s radiation onto a small area. The concentrated energy is converted into heat to generate electrical power. It is commonly used in power plants or sometimes in the heating and cooling of commercial buildings.
Types of Solar Roofing
The latest introductions in roofing are photovoltaic metal and shingle materials. As an eco-friendly roofing technology, this solution generates a sufficient amount of energy to produce electricity.
- Photovoltaic Shingles – These shingles have thin-film cells that are integrated and embedded into the material so that they look like conventional asphalt shingles. The up-front cost is high; however, a great amount of savings can be experienced over time.
- Metal Roofs – This is the most cost-effective, sustainable, and practical method of producing electricity. Basically, the thin-film photovoltaic panels are integrated into standing seam metal roofing and designed to last longer as compared to shingles. The benefits of these materials are durability, longevity, and cost savings.
It is wise to invest in this new, greener technology to save energy and money. Currently, there are several different types of solar energy systems available that are efficient and save money. They work by simply harnessing, storing, and distributing heat radiation to run household appliances as well as heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems. Since sunlight is free, a great deal of money can be saved by a business owner once the initial installation costs of solar roofing have been recovered – what an exciting, eco-friendly opportunity this presents
on November 26th, 2011% ![]()
We think of photovoltaic cells or PV cells as being a modern invention. But did you know that the photovoltaic effect was first recognized in 1839 by a French physicist? did you also know that the first solar cell was built in 1883?
How about this. did you know that Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photovoltaic effect? So now that you can amaze your friends and confound your critics with your knowledge of the history of PV cells, how are you going to make your life better using that knowledge?
Of course, one way to improve your life is to live it more efficiently. and that brings us to the issue of photovoltaic efficiency. Charles Fritt’s original 1883 cell was only 1% efficient. It wasn’t until 1946 that Russell Ohl patented the present, much more efficient, form of solar cell using doped silicon.
Now that you have all this background and you’re aware of efficiency, there’s just one more unusual factor in the efficiency equation of solar cells. usually efficiency is described as the cost to produce a product. How do you describe efficiency of a PV cell when the cost of the main ingredient, sun light, is free?
Even though sun light is free, the electricity produced by a solar cell is not free, since there is a defined cost to manufacture the cell itself. There is also the cost of providing a location for the panel to absorb sunlight. if you add the cost of the panel to the cost of the location, you now have half of the equation. the other half of the equation is the output, usually expressed in watts.
So now you have it. the less your panel and location cost compared to the output, the greater the photovoltaic efficiency.
on November 25th, 2011% ![]()
The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory lived up to its name earlier this year by creating the world’s most efficient solar cell. the gallium-indium cell boasts a confirmed efficiency of 40.8%. you might read this and think That’s terrible, but that’s just because you don’t really understand how efficiency works.
Let us tell you a little bit about factors involved with energy efficiency. every singe energy transaction in existence loses juice to friction, heat, and its surroundings. Your body, for example, is about five per cent efficient. for every twenty thousand calories your pull in you barely use one thousand for actually moving around and staying alive. the rest is used up in all the en-route steps of chemical processes or poured out of your flesh in the form of heat – and then you have to use more energy to sweat and get rid of it.
How about plants, the worlds ultimate solar collectors. Appalling All the organic energy on the planet comes via green plants in one way or another and their chlorophyll-chemical conversion barely scores six-point-six percent efficiency. if you scored six-point-six on a test, you’d be fairly unimpressed. And that’s only counting the actual energy-harvesting chlorophyll reaction itself – take into account the rest of the plant required to soak up the sun and the efficiency falls to less than a per cent. Hundreds of millions of years to hone systems dedicated to harvesting the sun and nothing else, and the best nature can manage is less than a percent – those man-made solar panels are beginning to look better already, aren’t they?
In fact, they’re among the best things we’re even able to build. Think of the ultimate in designed systems: the car engine. Beloved of entire cultures and they’ve been around for almost a century, with thousands of engineers honing and refining the system in peace, war and spare time besides.
Thirty-seven per cent. And that’s the IDEAL efficiency – the absolute maximum efficiency that could be extracted if God turned off friction, MacGyver built the camshaft and Haphaestus himself provided perfect metals to construct it with. Real engines only score a twenty per cent conversion of the possible gas power – and solar panels have already beaten what the ultimate engine in a Heaven-bound cadillac could ever achieve.
So yes, 40.8 is good. Very good.
|
