Re: Solar energy panels
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Jul 24th, 2008, 06:36 PM
#9 (permalink)
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An 80 acre solar farm was just built in Alamosa, Colorado.
Xcel energy did pay a 3rd party for green energy. They have to have x% of green energy by law.
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The ground breaking ceremony for the Alamosa solar plant took place in April 2007, and the system was activated two weeks ahead of schedule in December. The facility is located on approximately 80 acres of land in Colorado’s San Luis Valley near the substation in Alamosa. The Alamosa solar facility will generate approximately 17,000 megawatt hours of electricity annually, which is enough to power 1,500 homes. The plant will generate equivalent clean energy over the next 20 years to displace the carbon emissions produced by cars driving 765 million miles.
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While I don't remember the exact cost, I want to say it was several million+.
Honestly, I would wait to buy any solar. Several solar companies are about to tout new products that are significantly cheaper. AVA solar will be opening a 500 employee production facility by 2009 that will produce solar cells at 1/3 of today's costs.
Also MIT just made a solar cell that is cheaper to produce and produces 40% more power.
MIT Solar
Quote:
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Marc A Baldo, leader of the work, is quoted as saying; “the focused light increases the electrical power obtained from each solar cell by a factor of over 40″. The article went on to say that because of its simplicity and ease of manufacture, the system could be implemented within three years. It could even be added to existing solar-panel systems, increasing their efficiency by 50 percent for minimal additional cost.
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Demand drives production.