“We are now seeing two major trends that will accelerate the growth of photovoltaics: the development of advanced technologies, and the emergence of China as a low-cost producer,” said Janet Sawin, a senior researcher at the Worldwatch Institute.
Costs could fall 40 percent in the next few years as polysilicon becomes more available, Sawin said.
More than a dozen companies in Europe, China, Japan, and the United States will boost production over the next few years of purified polysilicon, which helps panels convert sunlight into electricity, and is the main ingredient in semiconductor computer chips, according to the report.
Last year, China passed the United States to become the world’s third largest producer of solar panels, trailing only Germany and Japan.
“To say that Chinese PV producers plan to expand production rapidly in the year ahead would be an understatement,” said Travis Bradford, president of the Prometheus Institute. “They have raised billions from international IPOs to build capacity and increase scale with the goal of driving down costs”.
Living in a region with clear skies 300+ days a year, this catches my attention a lot earlier than folks in northern tier states. Lowering the cost of buy-in always makes a difference.
#30 – But, I do plan on being close to off-the grid in another 3-4 years. Screw it. I’ll just stay home and leave my truck in the garage.
This “off the grid” goal so many aspire to seems very desirable to me. I tend to have the “screw the establishment” and “why should I pay you” attitude that lends itself to that ideal.
But my issue is that I absolutely cannot stand living outside of a major city. I even think of suburbs as rural wildernesses and simply don’t want to be anywhere where the average building is less than 25 stories tall.
I am a city guy. Plain and simple. So, is there any way anyone can concieve of to live in the city and be off the grid at the same time?
Keeping in mind that I think of “off the grid” as more than just energy independence, but also being relatively invisible to survailence, electronic tracking, and all that. Essentially, I dream of being a ghost in the crowd…
who woulda thunk a wiki for alternative energy sources?
http://peswiki.com/energy/Main_Page
Why don’t you guys just pay a little more for energy and keep the jobs in America? China pays very low wages.
32. Living in a city, it wont be easy. I dont think you could ever be completely off the grid, in the northeast. I have a transfer switch that can put my house back on when necessary. A 20k gallon cistern underneath the house for water caught on the roof. A pump for that water. A solar heater on the roof for hot water. And I never turn my cell phone on till I need it. The computer is a problem. Thats about the best I can do.
OFTLO – just depends on where your head is at and when. I used to sleep in Washington Sq. Park in the Village back when you didn’t get arrested or mugged or both.
Squatted with 3 other folks in an abandoned Victorian heap – though that required some illicit tweaking of gas lines.
Nowadays, 2&1/2 miles outside city limits [in NM] means my favorite trailhead 1/4 mile across the valley opens onto 400 sq.miles of nuthin, nada, well – a couple of cows.
Off the grid is easy here – because that’s the way it was when my wife’s family bought a couple chunks of land in La Cieneguiila in the 70’s. About 120 families on 2000+ acres.
In town, nowadays, I’d look for a vacant lot in an old enough part of a city that has stuff grandfathered in. Done some loft-style projects in disused warehouses. Zoning can be your friend as well as your enemy – look for industrial/trades use that allows live in. Or you drop a couple of empty ship containers on that lot. Can you weld?
#20- I would not reflect it. The sunlight that hits my property is mine – I’m keeping it. Also, I can’t afford to subsidize anything as I don’t have enough stuff for myself yet.
One thing I’ve though of trying is to put up about 150 charcoal grills around the perimeter of my yard and burn them 24×7 to create a local pocket of increased global warming.
#36 – Ed, you are living in the right place. I wish I were in a position to move there. I did a driving vacation through the Albuquerque/Santa Fe area leaving via Taos years ago. Of anywhere I’ve visited, I think that’s the most desirable to live I’ve seen.
37. After your statement above, we would appreciate you staying where you are.
#38 – Sorry dude. The reason Earth exists is so I can drive all over it. 😉
TGW cracks me up every time 🙂
#27 – That’s not the worst idea in the world. I’ll try to find one around here, but I doubt Utah is their #1 destination.
There’s five Toyota dealers in Utah.
http://www.automotive.com/toyota/19/utah/index.html
That’s real low, we have more than that here in Montreal – an island !