Elon Musk - "You only need about 100 miles by 100 miles of solar panels to power the USA" (HNNNGGG)

[freaky]

Bye bye Middle East. Hope the oil Barrons stashed their fortunes away.

I like it but Middle East have more sun than us.

 

[Gene Tunney]

These are all intriguing ideas. Most will fail. But there will be discoveries made from these failed projects that will be retained for future projects that will work. That is innovation. Resources are being invested, knowledge is being gained, people are being inspired. That is what matters most in the pursuit of the future.

 

[mushishi]

100 miles x 100 miles is 10,000 square miles, not 100 square miles.

That's what I said.

 

[Offended]

I like it but Middle East have more sun than us.

They are also religiously retarded and inbred.

And US has more desert then needed to power everything.

 

[Amerikuracana]

Yes, a giant solar panel that could be struck and the entire nations energy grid knocked off in 10 seconds is godamned genius. Fucking hippies.

You could stretch it out, or have a couple. I see your point.

 

[ralphc1]

I installed solar panels on my office building to power it.
The company which provided the panels, service and installation proposed it with a good pitch as a long-term investment.
However, they were wrong. In under 2 years the panels will have paid themselves on electricity bills savings. More like short-mid term investment for a big bussiness.
What's even better, is that this company provides the service and replacement for 20 years.
The only downside is that they don't have batteries, but are more of a "power up" to the existing grid.

I looked into the 20 year guarantees and, like anything else, if the technology fails, the companies will go bankrupt and the consumer will get nothing. To be an actual guarantee, it would need to be backed by someone like Lloyd's of London.

If it is paying for itself in 2 years, you should add more panels to sell electricity to the power company.

 

[VitorReem]

Yeh right

 

[rj144]

Yes, it's like a hundred square miles.

100 miles x 100 miles is 10,000 square miles, not 100 square miles.

That's what I said.

???

You said 100 square miles, right?

 

[Kframe]

Alternative Energy is slowly approaching the tipping point as technology brings performance up and cost down. Various cities and countries have gone for long stretches at a time using only alternative energy:



Source



Source



Source

There are other examples but I think this paints a picture of the trend.

I wont buy into solar until they get the panels that are available for sale above 15% efficiency for a expensive model. Right now, they waste 85% of the available sunlight, and don't work at all when there is clouds..

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

hes building one of these batteries in Australia to power a large portion of one of the states, hes putting his money where his mouth is, if it doesnt do what he claims its free.

So he's like the pizza delivery guy of renewable energy?

 

[mushishi]

???

You said 100 square miles, right?

No, you said that.

 

[MarloStanfield]

So he's like the pizza delivery guy of renewable energy?

haha yeah

 

[My name is]

Well lets see him buy some land and prove the concept. Just power the surrounding area and expand it from there

 

[weich]

I wont buy into solar until they get the panels that are available for sale above 15% efficiency for a expensive model. Right now, they waste 85% of the available sunlight, and don't work at all when there is clouds..

I can certainly understand waiting until the efficiency is up and that efficiency is affordable. That day is coming.

 

[Kframe]

I can certainly understand waiting until the efficiency is up and that efficiency is affordable. That day is coming.

Not until they use a material other then silicon. Also, the price needs to come way down. To fully outfit my home with solar, with batteries is over $35000!

 

[rj144]

No, you said that.

Huh? I quoted you.

 

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

That's what I said.

 

[mushishi]

Huh? I quoted you.

Well, what chu go and do that for?

 

[chubbman]

Seems very uniform. 100x100

 

[djacobox372]

100x100 miles is HUGE.

That's about 122,000 football fields.