Solar panel costs have come down dramatically: the industry expects that, even in the UK, solar power will be comparable to offshore wind energy by 2015.
Ten days ago Greenpeace told us that solar PV would be grid comparable by 2015.
That at the point of use solar would be the same price as coal derived (still one of the cheapest options, which is why we have this whole problem in the first place) \’leccie.
Now we\’re being told that it will be comparable to offshore wind: OK, sure, that\’s \’leccie that goes into the grid but it\’s twice or more the price than coal or gas produced.
Nice moving of the goalposts, don\’t you think?
Here’s an amusing factoid. Since 1986 Geneva has refused to be supplied with nuclear elec.
How can they be sure it’s coming from nicey nicey generation?
They can’t. EDF doesn’t have 2 grids.
“solar power will be comparable to offshore wind energy”
Just being pedantic I know, but many things are “comparable”. My old banger is comparable to a Lambo, in that it has four wheels and an engine.
In reality, though, it would be more expensive to run over a tree-hugger in the Countach, and wouldn’t do much for the aerodynamics.
What “problem”?
I will bet that coal-fired cost provides a nice asymptotic lower limit for photovoltaics for market reasons. For if photovoltaics truly *do* become competitive with coal, all the considerable investment necessary to harvest coal is for nought.
And then, like vinyl records or tube electronics, coal-fired power becomes “vintage” and of numismatic value.