Solar Energy Implications? OT Rant

Can't let this one go. Do you really think your utility company will reduce your rates? When will they do that? No, they will pass on the cost of of construction to the consumers and the charge the max available kWh rate for future power consumption.

Curt- what are your qualifications in this area?

Can't answer that as I am knott a finacial analyst and would not trust them anyways. Whether it is more economical to spend $2.5 billion over the long haul or $700 million plus expenses is beyond me.

BUT, even more important are the environmetal impacts of wind and solar energy. I'm just stating my gut instinct and seeing the desrtuction of the desert for what appears to me to be no good reason other than to say we are using "renawable resources" There are risks that have not been addressed...

People love to freak out about Solyndra but nobody ever seems to want to point out that the only reason they went bust was because China began producing much, much cheaper (gov't subsidized) solar panels on a large scale.

Solyndra failed because they had a horribly expensive and even harder to produce product. if it costs $2.50 per watt to produce and China can make it for $.60 a watt your going to fail... unfortunatley every week another solar company is failing somewhere in the world. China has subsidized their companies with billions of dollars. but even some of those are failing now. the companies who supply machines are getting out of the business too.

Why are we destroying thousands of acres/square miles of desert for large scale solar power when we have ample natural gas reserves to support combined cycle gas fired power plants is much more environmentally and economically sensible?

Nuclear waste issues freeze permits for U.S. power plants

By Steve Hargreaves @CNNMoney August 9, 2012: 7:12 AM ET

"The U.S. Government said it will stop issuing all permits for new plants and license extensions for existing plants are being frozen due to concerns over waste storage. From the article: 'The government's main watchdog, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, believes that current storage plans are safe and achievable. But a federal court said that the NRC didn't detail what the environmental consequences would be if the agency is wrong. The NRC says that "We are now considering all available options for resolving the waste issue, But, in recognition of our duties under the law, we will not issue [reactor] licenses until the court's remand is appropriately addressed." Affected are 14 reactors awaiting license renewals, and an additional 16 reactors awaiting permits for new construction.'"

Solyndra's actual production costs never fell below $6/Wp.

And yes First Solar does have the most effective commercially available technology at this point. And they do CdTl pretty well. But there product has a serious error. Their panels are too small, some companies in China will be making panels at a 2-2.5 m2 size in the near future. making one panel at 2.5 m2 compared to 3 at .8 m2 is much more expensive.

edit:
and all their equipment was purchased for smaller panel sizes. utility companies want big panels for these installs. First solar is in trouble.