Do you know the difference between a P-Type and N-Type solar cell, duuuuuude?
When it comes to material for making solar cells, silicon is the most bodacious of all the elements. Its market share is an excellent circa 97%1. If you want solar PV, there is next to no choice other than silicon. However, there is more than one type of silicon cell, which is fortunate for people who enjoy faffing about when deciding what to buy. [Read more…]
China’s Solar Top Runner Program – What The Hell Is It?
China is the world leader when it comes to manufacturing and installing solar panels. [Read more…]
It is currently popular for all the cool kids to be down on the chances of the United States remaining a driving force in world history. People are saying it has lost its way and only faces turmoil now Batman has passed away and Seinfeld has refused to hug Kesha.
But I have faith in the land that gave us Jim Henson and Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream. I think America still has plenty to offer the world. Sure, maybe nothing as good as Muppets and Chunky Monkey, but still some pretty neat stuff. For example, SimpliPhi batteries. [Read more…]
Phono Solar have only gone and drilled holes in their new solar panels…
If you want a solar cell to produce electricity then it’s important to let the sunshine in. Specifically, into the solar cell. Not letting the sunshine in is a bad idea. Despite how very important this is, most solar cell manufacturers place a fine metal wire grid on top of their cells that blocks around 5% to 6% of sunlight falling on them, for no other reason than they don’t work without it. It appears the metal grid is necessary to make electrical contacts required for current to flow. [Read more…]
We are seeing a lot of battery companies only quoting the payback of solar and batteries combined. But adding batteries makes payback worse. So always compare the payback of just solar.
I want you to know I have a great investment for you. Believe me, it’s great. I have all the best investments. Trust me — it’s yuge! If you invest in the Ronald Trump fund you will get an average return of over 4%. I guarantee it!1 Just hand over your money and you’ll start making money!
What’s that? You want me to actually explain what I will do with your money? Trust me, you don’t want to worry your pretty little head about that!
What? You do want to worry your pretty little head about that? Alright then, what I will do is take your money and invest it in the Australian stock market. Then each year I will take all the dividends and all the capital gains and I will reinvest half and I will take the other half in the form of $50 notes and burn them. It will be great! In 10 years you can have over a 50% return!
Wait a minute! Calm down! You say you don’t want me to burn half the money your investment makes? I don’t understand why you are complaining. You will still come out ahead! [Read more…]
Do solar rebates result in the poor subsidising the rich?
If you spend a significant amount of time on the internet, which I can’t recommend as it is a silly place, then you may have come across people who claim rooftop solar is an enormous scam that depends on government subsidies unfairly taken from those who can’t install it, or choose not to. [Read more…]
Do rising electricity prices always improve the economics of batteries? No. Read on to discover why. (And don’t stand on your roof without wearing an approved safety harness – especially if you are balancing giant golden scales on your head.)
I’ve already written on how electricity prices are set to rise substantially.
Because Australians will soon have to shell out like an evicted hermit crab when it comes to grid power, both the good and bad mainstream media are declaring that rising power costs make buying batteries more attractive.
Unfortunately for fans of shock boxes this is unlikely to be the case. Counter-intuitive I know. But bear with me. [Read more…]
Good news for Queenslanders who want to install a battery or a bigger solar inverter.
There is good news for Queenslanders looking to install rooftop solar and anyone thinking of of installing AC coupled battery systems such as the Powerwall 2. [Read more…]
LG’s NEoN-R panel is very good, very well warranted and very expensive.
LG Solar has introduced a new high efficiency solar panel they call the LG NeON R. [Read more…]
Infinity Warranty? As Chuck D once said. Don’t believe the (Tesla) hype.
In October last year, Tesla announced they were making tiles with built-in solar cells that would allow a roof to generate electricity without the need for solar panels. Installations of these solar roofs will start in the United States in June and you can go to Tesla’s Australian site and slap down a $1,310 deposit to reserve one. Tesla says they will be available here in 2018 and, given their record of meeting their own self-imposed deadlines, they should definitely arrive before the heat death of the universe. Just so long as they don’t get cancelled like the DC Powerwall 2. [Read more…]
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