The Oil Drum: Australia/New Zealand | The Bullroarer

22 comments on The Bullroarer - Friday 30th January 2009

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blaidddrwg on February 1, 2009 - 8:14am

Sorry Kiashu

Just to correct a common misconception as I discovered on a 5 week renewable energy course I attended back in August 2008 in preparation for swtching over our farm, most of the current batch of solar photovoltaic needs light NOT heat eg

Quote:

"SOLAR MODULES
Solar modules come in two distinct categories – crystalline silicon and amorphous silicon.

Crystalline solar modules are covered with tempered glass on top and a tough ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) material at the back. The glass and backing material protect the solar cells from moisture.

The most efficient crystalline silicon cells are made from slices of a large single crystal ingot (hence known as monocrystalline). While multicrystalline or polycrystalline cells have a speckled appearance from multiple small crystals which slightly reduces their efficiency.

Crystalline modules need to be cool. Output efficiency of crystalline PV arrays decreases by 0.5 per cent per degree Celcius over the standard test temperature of 25°C. Good ventilation is required at the back of modules. Exposure to cool breezes when siting modules is an important consideration."

Reference: http://www.yourhome.gov.au/technical/fs67.html

I know counterintuitive, but PV in Alice Springs could potentially be less efficent than down here in TAZ due to the higher ambient temperature. There is a lot more to PV than throwing a few panels on your roof and crossing your fingers.

But your principles are sound eg when business and industry need energy most and we are all out at work [if we still have a job due to the developing recession/ depression as I stated in my response to Aeldrics optimistic comments for 2009] then our grid connected home PV systems can power the factories.

As to global warming a trully depressing read I was put onto by a friend in the oil industry of all places is 6 degrees. Our future on a hotter planet by Mark Lynas. Quite a dry tomb and review of the scientific literature but by 4 degrees 60% of the human race is dead and the rest is heading for the poles and of Australia only Tasmania is hapitable.

The future is not a pretty picture especially down under!! Fortunately we are still dealing with a geological timeframe [hopefully] so it is some other generations problem to deal with. [I am not feeling very altruistic today!!]

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Big Gav on February 1, 2009 - 5:28pm

kiashu did say say solar PV and thermal.

Solar thermal (which has the potential to be our biggest single source of energy, worldwide) does work best on hot, sunny days.

PC just needs lots of light, but as you say, can have problems if it gets too hot.

There is also thin-film solar to keep in mind, ans well as solar hot water (which also does well on hot days).

http://anz.theoildrum.com/node/3791
http://anz.theoildrum.com/node/3477

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Kiashu on February 1, 2009 - 9:53pm

I never said that PV needed heat not light. I said it works well on hot days. In southern Australia, particularly in the last week, hot days are associated with a lot of light from the sun.

In northern Australia they have hot days which are also overcast. But I was specifically talking about Victoria and South Australia, saying that we had two problems: the heatwave and the strain on electricity generation from all the airconditioning. And the very thing that causes the problems - bright sunlight - can also give us the solution - solar PV and thermal.

This is the kind of thinking we have to do. Many of us are a bit muddled about things. For example, when the Premier of NSW heard about the proposed desalination plant using lots of electricity, he said, "couldn't we build some more hydroelectric power?" Hmmm... problem... the state has no water, let's use a power source which requires on accumulating water to... make more water." GENIUS.

We need the opposite kind of thinking, where we solve several problems with one solution, or where we find the solution within the problem.

I don't know if solar pv and thermal could provide a large part of our energy. But they can certainly provide the extra energy required during the periods of peak consumption here in the southern parts of Australia.

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